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Happy May the 4th! Every ‘Star Wars’ movie, ranked

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Unless you’ve been held captive by a Wampa, crash-landed a TIE Fighter on Jakku or were eaten by the Sarlacc – though Boba Fett did come back like a champ from that doomsday scenario – it’s probably not news that “Revenge of the Sith” is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

In honor of Star Wars Day (May the 4th) – and the very special birthday – it’s time to hit up Disney+ or bust out the Blu-rays to rewatch all 11 “Star Wars” films (the nine-chapter Skywalker Saga, plus a couple of spinoffs) in this galactic franchise. (Pro tip: If you’re a total newbie, watch the original 1977 “Star Wars” first.)

But which “Star Wars” is the best of the best? These are the rankings you’re looking for.

11. ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace’ (1999)

George Lucas’ prequels get a bad rap and, well, they kind of deserve it at times. Especially this one. What basically is a two-hour trailer for the rest of Anakin Skywalker’s story is kind of a mess – he was immaculately conceived? What’s this about midichlorians and the Force? The pod-race set piece is fun the first five times yet gets old quick, Darth Maul is the coolest guy in the movie and he’s in it for all of three minutes, trade negotiations are not the way to start a sci-fi movie, and as for Jar Jar Binks … yeah. One thing it does do well is set up the political atmosphere that leads to the Empire and introduces Anakin as the chosen one who will bring balance to the Force. Just not in the way anybody expects.

10. ‘Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones’ (2002)

There are so many sleek special effects used in this thing that you miss the trash heaps and spit-and-gum filmmaking of Lucas’ original movies. Also, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman have ZERO chemistry as doomed lovers Anakin and Padmé. They have a picnic in the middle of the movie, battle monsters together on Geonosis and get married at the end, and yet even a modicum of actual romance isn’t to be found. That all said, “Clones” isn’t a bad film and it’s pretty good whenever Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi is around. His and Anakin’s chase after Zam Wesell is a scene from the great Jedi buddy-cop comedy we never got, and the discovery of the Republic’s clone army on the rainy planet Kamino is obviously important. (Never forget, though: Stormtroopers > clone troopers.)

9. ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’ (2005)

It’s no coincidence that the prequel that’s closest to the original trilogy in tone, story and theme is the best one. Anakin finally has his full turn to the dark side, though it still seems a little whiplash-y how quickly he goes from broody, anti-authoritarian kid to child-killing, baddest man in the galaxy. And Padmé dying from a broken heart is a little much. However, Yoda takes on Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious/Emperor in a neato lightsaber battle, when Order 66 comes down it’s a little heartbreaking, and Obi-Wan and Anakin’s violent brawl on Mustafar is arguably the most hellacious in any “Star Wars” film. (Those who miss those two mortal enemies definitely want to watch their rematch in the Disney+ “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series.)

8. ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ (2019)

It could also be called “Star Wars: Attack of the Callbacks” since it bends over backward – and sacrifices a lot of good storytelling and fun new characters (we totally heart little Babu Frik) – to pay homage to familiar faces and aspects from previous films. Jedi-in-training Rey (Daisy Ridley), reluctant hero Finn (John Boyega) and X-wing warrior Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) lead the ragtag Resistance against a returning Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) in a film that’s full of logic fumbles and muddies the focus of the third and final trilogy.

The evolving relationship between Rey and the First Order’s hotheaded Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) goes some interesting places, and director J.J. Abrams’ “Skywalker” is one last tribute to General Leia Organa (the late Carrie Fisher) and the way certain returning characters have molded decades of this expansive story. Hardcore fans will find lots to love and it’s plenty entertaining with bombastic spectacle, but “Rise” crashes and burns as an actual finale.

7. ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ (2016)

For its maiden standalone voyage, “Star Wars” brass blended the old – the Rebel Alliance freaking out about the construction of the Empire’s mighty Death Star – with something new: In this case, a war movie digging into the battlefields on land and in space with insurgents rising up against “the Man.”

The results are a mixed bag. Ex-con Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) heads up the squad of armed misfits to steal the Death Star plans, though a snarky droid ends up being the best character in the bunch (for the record, K-2SO is way cooler than C-3PO). The Empire is full of bickering bureaucrats, which is fun to watch though bad for getting the Death Star done in a timely manner, and Darth Vader power walks into scenes that both undermine his icon status yet also cement it. While the fan service goes too far – for example, the old-school CGI character who is just as distracting as Jar Jar – “Rogue One” does introduce some neato supporting aliens like Admiral Raddus, a military mashup of Patton, Churchill and a lobster.

6. ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ (2018)

A young Han Solo movie doesn’t sound like a great idea … until you actually see a young Han Solo movie. Mostly free of lightsabers, Jedi and Rebels, “Solo” is a “Star Wars” take on an Indiana Jones jam, and the first movie to tackle the underworld through its most famous anti-hero. This Han (Alden Ehrenreich) is an idealistic sort willing to go to extreme and illegal lengths to see his girlfriend (Emilia Clarke) again. Han and Chewie (Joonas Suotamo) are awesome together, Han and Lando (Donald Glover) aren’t bad either, it boasts a bunch of new creatures and crooks, and the film even ties into “Star Wars” past in surprising fashion.

A note for Ryan Gosling’s upcoming “Star Wars: Starfighter”: This, not “Rogue One,” should be the template for future spinoffs.

5. ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ (2017)

For those who love spectacular space battles, the cute audacity of porgs and bad guys with British accents snarling, “Rebel scum,” there’s a lot to love in writer/director Rian Johnson’s “Episode VIII.” Fans have plenty to unpack in a lengthy runtime and “Last Jedi,” like other franchise vehicles, demands repeat viewings, but Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is the coolest he’s been since “The Empire Strikes Back.” Plus, the next-generation heroes of the Resistance take a great leap in being a real rebellion like we saw in the original trilogy.

Johnson is also winningly subversive, having Luke call out his own past and challenging the foundation that Lucas put in place 40 years ago – one character even says, “Good guys, bad guys. Made-up words.” The galaxy is no longer a hotbed of chosen ones, a place where a nobody, a lowly First Order janitor or a Resistance mechanic, can save the universe – a switch from the days of Anakin and Luke. “Last Jedi” is unsurprisingly dedicated to “our princess” Carrie Fisher, and her integral role speaks volumes to the legacy of the core characters played by her, Hamill and Harrison Ford, yet also points out the need for fresh icons to take the franchise to new heights.

4. ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’ (1983)

Let’s just put this out there now: Ewoks aren’t that bad. And the alien creature quotient is at an all-time high when you toss in Jabba the Hutt’s crew, Admiral Ackbar and Nien Nunb. What makes this movie so special are all the satisfying conclusions. Luke says goodbye to Yoda in a touching moment, Leia finding out that Luke is her brother is emotional but not cloying, the Rebel Alliance vs. Empire space sequence is a highlight, Han Solo is less of a scoundrel than ever, and Luke and Vader’s climactic father-son throwdown is a thing of redemptive wonder. Check yourself for a pulse if you’re not getting the chills after Vader tosses the Emperor down a shaft or when he says, “Let me look on you with my own eyes” to Luke before dying. A perfect ending – at least until ol’ George went and got rid of the Ewoks’ celebratory “Yub nub” song and stuck young Anakin in the Dead Jedi Ghost Club.

3. ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ (2015)

J.J. Abrams introduces the best characters since fans first laid eyes on Han, Luke and Leia. Daisy Ridley’s Rey is wicked smart and a capable hero in a universe with the baddies of the First Order on the warpath. John Boyega’s ex-Stormtrooper Finn and Han are brothers from another mother, Oscar Isaac’s pilot Poe is as cool and refreshing as a tall glass of blue milk, and Adam Driver’s Kylo does his best Vader impression as a maniacal villain with some serious emotional issues. Abrams gets dangerously close to recycling old material, but instead he uses those familiar motifs to set the stage for a (mostly) exciting third trilogy and crafts arguably the best final shot ever in a “Star Wars” film.

2. ‘Star Wars’ (1977)

Whether Han shot first or not, the original remains the real deal mostly because of all the great character moments. Luke is a whiny farmboy who has big dreams when he looks out over the two-sun horizon of Tatooine and he knows his destiny lies beyond. Old “Ben” Kenobi explaining to Luke that Darth Vader “murdered” his father Anakin, a scene that has much more richness revisiting it later. Han cynically explaining that hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster, though it seems like he’s trying to convince himself of this a bit. C-3PO constantly complaining to R2-D2 and Artoo taking it like a champ. And Leia putting on a brave face as she faces Vader and the destruction of her planet. Even Vader feeling there’s something up when Luke makes his trench run on the Death Star. We don’t need to know much about their history or where they come from to quickly fall in love with all these players as they begin their long journey.

1. ‘Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)

Simply the best. It might rank highly just due to AT-ATs, the Imperial Walkers that are arguably the coolest things that have ever stomped across a movie screen. Yet there is so much greatness to “Empire” on a surface level but also digging deeper. Vader’s reveal to Luke about being the kid’s father is an all-time truth bomb, and is made better when compared to Luke’s visions of the man behind the mask when training with Yoda. Luke training with Yoda and each kinda getting ticked off at the other is priceless.

But really “Empire” is like a Star Destroyer full of these scenes: Han saving Luke in the deadly cold of Hoth by warming him up in Tauntaun guts; Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) betraying his old friend Han in order to save his city; Han and Leia’s “I love you/I know” exchange before the smuggler gets frozen in carbonite. And on and on. You could argue that it’s one of the best sequels of all time but for this series at least, it’s the chapter that takes a cool sci-fi fairy tale with Arthurian overtones and sent it on its way to being a masterwork of storytelling.

May 4, 2025
Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter wears her dress

Dannielynn Birkhead is honoring her late mom Anna Nicole Smith for the Kentucky Derby.

On the eve of the 2025 event, Birkhead wore her mom’s dress to the annual Barnstable Brown Gala on May 2. Her mom wore the same gown — a floor-length black dress with crystal-adorned front and back straps — to the same gala in 2004.

“Dannielynn is wearing Anna Nicole’s dress that she wore 21 years ago to this same event. Life full circle. She said she chose the dress because it was her Mom’s and ‘super cool,’ ” the 18-year-old’s dad Larry Birkhead wrote on Instagram.

Since its inception in 1989, the star-studded Barnstable Brown Gala has donated more than $21 million for diabetes treatment and research from the proceeds of the annual party.

The affair is hosted by local philanthropist Patricia Barnstable-Brown and her son Chris Barnstable-Brown at the family’s private mansion in Louisville, Kentucky, where the derby takes place.

Revelations from Anna Nicole Smith doc: Her pill addiction, marriage and more

Smith’s ex-boyfriend, a professional photographer, opened up to People magazine about watching his daughter wear the dress, which had been in storage “for years.”

“It was emotional because the last time I saw that dress was on Anna,” Birkhead said.

The Kentucky native, who met Smith at the Barnstable Gala in 2003, a year before she originally wore the dress, added that when his daughter “was a little girl, she walked over and she put her hand on the dress and now that she’s actually old enough to wear it, it just seems surreal that we’re at this moment.”

The father-daughter duo has famously attended the Kentucky Derby — typically their annual public outing — since the latter was three years old, but Birkhead, 52, revealed that their yearly date “was really born out of the babysitter cancelling on me the first year I brought her.”

This year’s attendance comes 18 years after Smith’s death at 39 sent shockwaves through the world, from her little-known hometown to Hollywood.

On Feb. 8, 2007, Smith collapsed in a hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Florida and later died at a hospital.

According to an autopsy obtained by CNN and performed by the Broward County Medical Examiner’s office in Fort Lauderdale, Smith’s death was ruled an accident.

Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter wears dress to Kentucky Derby in ‘fashion experiment,’ dad says

Dannielynn’s dad said the dress is “a little edgier” than her other wardrobe choices, telling the entertainment outlet that he spends “over $200,000 in storage bills” to preserve Smith’s items.

“I think she’s doing a fashion experiment for herself,” Birkhead told People. “Also, I think it’s really meaningful for her to wear. I’m just glad she’s going through and starting to wear some of (Smith’s clothes) because she could literally pick out an outfit a day for the rest of her life and never wear the same thing twice with everything.”

He continued: “(I) just hope that she would appreciate some of these things someday, she’s just now starting to get into the curiosity of some of the fashion and things in her mom’s world.”

Contributing: Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal; Erin Jensen, USA TODAY

May 4, 2025
‘Thunderbolts’ end, post-credits scene tease ‘Avengers’ (spoilers)

Spoiler alert! We’re discussing important plot points and the ending of Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” (in theaters now), so beware if you haven’t seen it yet.

This not a drill: We’ve got a new team of Avengers. And they’re probably not the folks you expect.

In “Thunderbolts*,” a B-team of Marvel Cinematic Universe supporting players levels up to the A-list, though they have to navigate past traumas – and tussle with one of their own – in an emotional final act.

The movie features Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), the former Winter Soldier, and Russian assassin Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) forming a team – named after the lowly pee-wee soccer squad Yelena was on as a kid – with fellow antiheroic misfits Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker (Wyatt Russell) and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen).

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They meet Bob, a guy whose amnesia comes with impressive superpowers, though this friend becomes an enemy when he’s turned into the hubristic Sentry by CIA director – and main Thunderbolts arch enemy – Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). But Sentry breaks free from her control and then, fueled by Bob’s repressed emotions, transforms into a shadowy figure called The Void, putting New York City and our heroes in dire straits.

Let’s deep dive into all the best spoilers, from that surprise ending to a future-shock post-credits scene leading right to “Doomsday.”

What happens in the ending of ’Thunderbolts*’?

The Void spreads an eerie darkness across the Big Apple, seemingly erasing New Yorkers from existence and leaving a body-sized black mark in their place. In a desperate gambit, the Thunderbolts enter The Void itself, and each hero is forced to live out a past trauma or regret – even Bob. To win the day, the teammates rally around Bob and give him a group hug, putting everything back to normal.

They find Valentina trying to scurry away on the street and go to confront her, but it’s a trick: They walk right into an impromptu press conference, where she proclaims, “Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new Avengers!” The team is taken aback, though Yelena whispers in a worried Valentina’s ear, “We own you now.”

Director Jake Schreier reveals that on the day of filming, they sent extras home early before Louis-Dreyfus did her takes uttering the A-word to keep it a secret. “It’s just a name, right? But still, you feel something,” the filmmaker says.

Why does ‘Thunderbolts*’ have an asterisk?

Comic-Con 2024 was the first time the title was touted with a mystery punctuation mark. Marvel president Kevin Feige said at the time that he wouldn’t talk about the asterisk’s meaning until the movie’s release. And this is why: Before the credits roll, the “Thunderbolts*” title appears and has changed to “The New Avengers.”

“I don’t think there’s another studio or another kind of movie that has the eyeballs on it where you could do that, which is kind of a crazy move after you’ve spent all that money marketing a movie called one thing and then reintroduce it as something else,” Schreier says. (It’s an homage to the twist at the end of the first “Thunderbolts” comic book in 1997: A new superhero group calling themselves Thunderbolts saves New York, but it’s really the villainous Masters of Evil in disguise.)

So will “The New Avengers” now be on the Blu-ray, post-release merch and everything else going forward? “You might see some billboards shift a little bit on Monday morning,” Schreier teases.

Does ‘Thunderbolts*’ have any post-credits scenes?

There are actually two. The mid-credits scene features Red Guardian – in his civilian clothes, not the usual Soviet super-soldier garb – in a grocery store cereal aisle. Now national heroes, the Thunderbolts have made the cover of a Wheaties cereal box and he tries to impress a stranger by showing it to her. “That’s me on the box!” he exclaims proudly as she walks off, weirded out.

The more important one comes at the very end of the credits. Set 14 months later, the scene catches up with the new Avengers – clad in spiffy gear with the trademark “A” on it – in their headquarters. Bucky is helping Yelena lead the team, which is apparently now locked in a copyright battle with Sam Wilson, who seems to want to start his own non-governmental Avengers squad. (Wearing a track suit with “New Avengerz” on it, Red Guardian calls Captain America a “dumb litigious man.”)

Bob is off to the side, not able to use his powers in order to keep The Void at bay – “I did the dishes, though,” he says. With a space crisis at hand, Yelena gets a warning of an extra-dimensional craft approaching and they view a screen that shows a sleek spaceship entering orbit. “Cool ship,” Walker cracks as it rotates to reveal the Fantastic Four logo on the side.

It’s the biggest set-up yet for the upcoming event movie “Avengers: Doomsday” (out May 1, 2026), which promises the Fantastic Four, a number of Avengers and even a bunch of X-Men. And it also gives Pullman somewhere to go next in exploring his character’s conflicting sides.

“The deeper you dive on one part of Bob, the more questions arise from the other two,” he says. “Every chapter has its own arc, so it’s really exciting to see what the arc will be in ‘Doomsday.’ ”

May 4, 2025
Diddy trial: When does it begin?

The moment of truth has arrived for Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Almost eight months after the embattled music mogul was arrested in New York, Combs is about to stand trial on allegations of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all five counts.

The commencement of the trial comes after Combs’ attorneys unsuccessfully pushed to delay its start by two months, arguing a postponement would provide them with “necessary time to prepare” his defense. They maintained that there was “substantially new conduct” alleged in an expanded April 3 indictment, and that the government was still producing evidence.

But U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ruled against this request during an April 18 hearing, clearing the trial to proceed on its scheduled start date. Subramanian told the court there was no reason to think that Combs’ attorneys did not have sufficient time to put a defense together.

When does the Diddy trial begin?

Combs’ trial is set to begin on Monday, May 5. Jury selection is expected to start on that date, which happens to be the same Monday of another high-profile event in New York: the Met Gala.

How to watch all the Diddy documentaries ahead of Sean Combs’ sex crimes trial

Opening statements in the trial are scheduled to begin the following Monday, May 12. The trial will not be televised, as cameras are not expected to be permitted in the courtroom.

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In the lead-up to the May 5 start date, attorneys for the prosecution and the defense have been in court for pretrial hearings to discuss various procedural matters. During a hearing on April 25, Subramanian ruled that prosecutors may use as evidence security footage from 2016 allegedly showing Combs beating his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fine at a hotel.

Who is Diddy? Everything to know about hip-hop mogul facing federal sex crimes trial

Ventura originally accused of Combs of sexual assault and physical abuse in a November 2023 lawsuit, which was followed by numerous legal claims from other accusers alleging abuse by the man who was once among the most influential figures in hip-hop music. Ventura’s lawsuit was quickly settled. Combs has denied all allegations of abuse.

And during a May 1 hearing, Combs confirmed he declined a potential plea deal in front of the judge. Both prosecutors and the defense also came to an agreement on the jury selection process.

Contributing: Patrick Ryan, Taijuan Moorman, Edward Segarra, Jay Stahl

May 4, 2025
What is bibliotherapy? How to read to improve your mental health
Reading as a hobby is inherently rooted in self-care – while you can do it with others around, it ultimately offers a moment to slow down and steep in a story.
But did you know it can actually be beneficial to your mental health? Enter bibliotherapy, the practice of using literature to heal.

Emely Rumble, a licensed clinical social worker, biblio/psychotherapist and professor at Queens College in New York, first encountered the term when she studied abroad in college. There, she found London’s Poetry Pharmacy, which sells “books chosen to address your mood or emotional ailment.”

Now, after nearly 15 years of prescribing literature on her own, Rumble’s book “Bibliotherapy in the Bronx” (out now from Simon & Schuster) aims to bring the therapy practice to those in need of comfort.

What is bibliotherapy?

It sounds like a buzzy wellness trend akin to “rejection therapy” or “apartners,” but in “Bibliotherapy in the Bronx,” Rumble argues we’ve always used storytelling to make sense of “who we are, where we’ve been, and the possibilities of where we can go.”

Have you ever read a book that seemed to read you? A character that felt like they were written straight from your mind or a plot that you could relate to a little too hard? Chances are, you were practicing bibliotherapy on your own.

In a clinical setting, bibliotherapy can be reactive or prescriptive. It can look like a therapist suggesting a book to their client, or a client bringing up a book that impacted them. In either scenario, books are used as a discussion tool to help better understand ourselves, our mental health and how we fit into the world. One systematic review published in 2017 found that bibliotherapy is effective in reducing depression symptoms over time.

You can incorporate bibliotherapy into your reading as well. It’s a four-step process, Rumble explains:

Recognition: Emotionally connect with some aspect of the book

Examination: Consider why you may have an emotional response to a character or concept

Juxtaposition: Compare your life experience with a character’s and put yourself in their shoes

Self-application: Use this set of insights to examine how you feel about a situation, person or past trauma

“So much of the clinical process and therapy is making the unconscious, conscious and as human beings who live in a very production-driven, capitalist society, we don’t have moments to pause and slow down,” Rumble says. “One great thing about a reading practice is that it forces you to have to embody yourself, and it forces you to have to face yourself down with courage.”

Rumble has used books in her therapy practice to help clients understand bodily changes during menopause, challenges that come with depression and anxiety, come out as queer and heal from abandonment. Anyone can benefit from bibliotherapy, she says.

“A lot of folks would rather be at home reading or joining a book club than coming to therapy,” Rumble says. “If therapists can be trained in this unique modality of incorporating literature as a therapeutic tool, there’s a lot more people who will be willing to engage.”

How to incorporate bibliotherapy in your life

Making time for regular reading can seem like an uphill battle for those with busy lives, but setting a routine is an important step in using literature to heal. It’s an intentional time to slow down and practice stillness.

Pencil in times where you can take a moment to read, whether it’s on a lunch break, before bed, on your commute (audiobooks are great if you’re driving) or first thing in the morning. Rumble recommends traveling with a book at all times, especially poetry, because it’s a bite-sized, often meditative form to dive into.

She recommends clients keep a curated bedside stack of books – something “nourishing” like a guided journal, religious text or poetry book and a few novels that you’re interested in. This can help combat late-night doomscrolling.

It can also be helpful to find a reading community, whether that’s belonging to a book club or reading with friends and neighbors at silent reading events.

Bibliotherapy is helpful for kids’ emotional development, too

You might not think of it as therapy, but there’s a good chance your childhood reads helped you develop an early understanding of your emotions and the world around you. “A Bad Case of the Stripes” by David Shannon teaches kids to stay true to themselves rather than conform to peer pressure. “Strega Nona” by Tomie dePaola can teach trust.

“We know, when you’re in the business of building little people, how important emotional literacy is to cultivating a child’s narrative exploration,” Rumble says. “It really helps to get children thinking about really important aspects of who they are and who they want to become, and giving them the tools they need.”

Bibliotherapy can be helpful for kids dealing with mental health challenges like anxiety or depression. It can help them process big feelings. It can also teach them about the world. Rumble uses an example of a child asking about the war in Gaza.

“We’re not going to explain the whole history of Palestine to an 8-year-old and help them understand what’s happening from an adult perspective,” she says. “Instead, let’s find a book that talks a little bit about how everyone comes from a different part of the world or a different culture and all cultures matter. Let’s give them some of the foundational language to understand the beauty in all of our cultures and center everybody’s humanity as an entry point to them understanding that what they’re seeing is really scary.”

In one instance described in the book, Rumble even used hip-hop to connect with a teen as a form of poetry bibliotherapy.

“When we listen to a song that matches the emotional tempo of what we’re feeling, it’s cathartic. It’s healing,” she says. “Sometimes we can’t access the language, especially when we’re hurting or traumatized or feeling overstimulated.”

Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you’re reading at [email protected].
May 4, 2025
How to watch Episode 4 of ‘The Last of Us’: Date, cast and more
Spoiler alert! The following story contains details about Season 2 of HBO’s “The Last of US” (now streaming).
“The Last of Us” fans are still reeling from that episode, but the new season is just reaching the halfway point.

Season 2 of HBO’s Emmy-winning apocalypse series premiered last month and has already emotionally battered viewers with the jarring death of Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal).

Last week’s episode showcased the aftermath of Joel’s death and the epic infected battle. Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is now consumed with untethered rage after losing her chosen father figure and is determined to seek vengeance against Abby (Kaitlyn Dever).

The episode concluded with Ellie and Dina (Isabela Merced) leaving Jackson, Wyoming, and heading to Seattle against town orders. However, when they arrive at a seemingly deserted city, only viewers learn that a massive militia is in control.

Here’s how to watch what happens next.

When does the next episode of ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 come out?

The next episode of “The Last of Us” Season 2 will drop on Sunday, May 4 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on HBO and its streaming service Max.

New episodes will release every Sunday, with the season finale dropping on Sunday, May 25.

‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 episode schedule

Season 2 of “The Last of Us” premiered on April 13 and will have seven episodes. Here’s what the upcoming schedule looks like:

Episode 4: Sunday, May 4

Episode 5: Sunday, May 11

Episode 6: Sunday, May 18

Episode 7 (season finale): Sunday, May 25

How to watch ‘The Last of Us’

New episodes of “The Last of Us” will air on HBO and be available to stream weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Max. Season 1 of the series is also available to stream on Max.

Max subscription plans begin at $9.99 a month with ads, while ad-free subscriptions cost $16.99 a month.

The highest tier, which is $20.99 a month, includes the ability to stream on four devices and offers 4K Ultra HD video quality and 100 downloads. HBO also offers bundles with Hulu and Disney+.

Watch ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 with Sling + Max

‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 cast

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey returned to reprise their leading roles as Joel and Ellie in “The Last of Us” Season 2. The remaining Season 2 cast also includes the following:

Gabriel Luna as Tommy Miller

Rutina Wesley as Maria Miller

Catherine O’Hara as Gail

Kaitlyn Dever as Abby Anderson

Isabela Merced as Dina

Young Mazino as Jesse

Ezra Benedict Agbonkhese as Benjamin

Tati Gabrielle as Nora

Ariela Barer as Mel

Spencer Lord as Owen

Danny Ramirez

Jeffrey Wright

Watch the ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 trailer

Will there be a ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3?

Yes. Ahead of Season 2’s premiere, HBO announced “The Last of Us” would be returning for a third season.

However, it is unclear if Season 3 will be the show’s final season. Deadline reported that co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin said they were previously contemplating making up to four seasons.

This story has been updated to fix a typo.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Contributing: Saman Shafiq, Bryan Alexander and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
May 3, 2025
‘Sinners’ shows how Christianity was forced on Black people

Hoodoo is a mystery to many, because it had to be. Although many attempted to destroy it, somehow, it persevered.

Ryan Coogler’s new horror movie, “Sinners”, focuses on a variety of issues that include ethnicity, Southern culture and the importance of protecting your art. But one of the most interesting topics the movie highlights is oppression and colonization through a lens of religion.

When Coogler announced his fifth feature film, I was ecstatic.

As someone who loves the horror genre and specifically Southern gothic horror, as my favorite Ayo Edebiri quote says, “I’m seated. The theater employees are scared and asking me to leave … but I’m simply too seated.”

I was already excited to see a vampire movie focusing on Black characters in the South, but what shocked me was the subplot of the complicated relationship between African Americans and Christianity.

Religion, not the Blues, was forced upon Black people

Growing up in a Baptist community in New York City, Sunday school, choir practices and lengthy Sunday services were part of my regular routine. While I enjoyed it thoroughly as a child, as I got older, it felt more like a chore.

As I started my journey into history and specifically my ancestors’ journey in the United States, I was confused on why my family was content with practicing a religion that was forced on us.

As Delroy Lindo’s character “Delta Slim” says in “Sinners,” the Blues wasn’t forced on us like that religion, we brought this from home.

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While many enslaved populations attempted to bring their beliefs and ancestral practices with them, upon arriving in the United States, Christianity was forced upon them.

Religion and specifically Christianity was used as a means of control. Various slave owners even justified their actions with biblical passages from the Old Testament.

A 2019 museum exhibit at Harvard University highlighted how Christianity in the 1800s was used in this manner. One of the examples, a book published in 1843 titled “Slavery, as it Relates to the Negro, or African Race” by Josiah Priest, defended slavery while using narratives from the Book of Genesis.

Those who participated in their ancestral practices were often severely punished. In turn, these religions were practiced in secret and are often referred to as “closed practices.”

‘Sinners’ demystifies Hoodoo and challenges witchcraft narrative

As I got older, these ancestral religious practices captivated me because it was a connection to those whose names I would never get the chance to know.

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In the film, we see how one of the main character’s uses her ancestral tradition of Hoodoo to not only serve her community, but also save the lives of many.

Hoodoo, the closed ancestral practice that was brought by enslaved populations to the South, often gets a bad rep. Many refer to it as “demonic” or “devil’s magic.” What I greatly appreciated about this film was that it showed Hoodoo for exactly what it is, a religious practice that helps people connect with their ancestral lineage.

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When we first meet Annie, played by Wunmi Mosaku, she is giving herbs and explaining how although she gets paid very minimally, if at all, it’s more important for her to keep others safe through her practices.

While we see her get called a “witch,” many of the characters ultimately respect her and look to her as a guide.

Vampire opens the eyes of a key character while praying

As the movie continues, Sammie “Preacher Boy” Moore, the son of the local preacher, deals with his father wanting him to focus solely on church and leave “that devil music alone.”

The genre of Blues was created in the Mississippi Delta as a combination of spirituals, work songs and chants created by the formerly enslaved. Due to a variety of myths concerning artists such as Robert Johnson, who is said to have “sold his soul to the devil,” preachers often classified it as “devil music.”

One of the key moments of this movie is when Sammie is confronted by the vampire antagonist, Remmick. In a moment of fear, Sammie begins to quote the Lord’s Prayer. To his surprise, Remmick begins to quote it with him.

The Irish vampire then explains that when men took his father’s land, they forced those words on them, too, but that the prayer still brought him comfort.

Coogler’s movie faces criticism, but also reflects a reality

History often shows many examples of Christianity being forced on communities such as enslaved Africans and American Indigenous communities, we often forget how the religion was forced on other European communities.

As a result of these themes of Christianization, many who chose to watch the movie on its opening Easter weekend were confused and annoyed by the theme.

Grammy-award winning artist Lecrae posted on threads that he believed the film promoted “anti-Christian propaganda.”

He continued to say, “In this movie, Christianity is either irrelevant or oppressive, and power is found in African spiritual practices. Hoodoo, not the Holy Spirit, is the weapon of choice. … He’s fighting evil with evil in the movie, and unfortunately Christianity takes the L for the sake of cultural empowerment.”

In 2020, a phenomenon started to occur where many millennials and Gen Zers started to leave Western religions and sought out ancestral practices – myself included. I was interested in connecting with a practice that wasn’t forced on my ancestors, but instead one they created. Although some still view practices such as Hoodoo as demonic, this film confronts the viewers and makes them get to the root of why they believe that.

Hoodoo is a mystery to many, because it had to be. Although many attempted to destroy it, somehow, it persevered.

As one of my favorite sayings goes, “We don’t worship dead people. We pay homage to our ancestors and understand they live within our DNA. They are the closest thing we have to the spiritual realm.”

Gabrielle Chenault covers Williamson County for The Tennessean, where this column originally appeared. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in political science from Hampton University and a master’s degree in race/social justice reporting from the University of Southern California.

May 3, 2025
For kids, PBS is more than TV. Trump’s cuts destroy that

‘Arthur’ helped children manage the joys and challenges of growing up. Without federal funding, these programs may cease to exist.

Marc Brown
| Opinion contributor

On a sunny April day in 1993, I was finishing the art for “Arthur’s New Puppy,” another book in my series, when the phone rang. It was Carol Greenwald, a producer at WGBH, the Boston-based public media producer that creates many award-winning children’s programs for PBS.

After Carol and her kids had seen me give a talk at a local library, she wanted to make an animated TV show based on my books to inspire reading. What a great idea! Nearly 30 years after the broadcast debut of “Arthur,” it is still beloved and one of the longest-running animated children’s programs ever.

Kids programming is the beating heart of PBS – 90% of parents believe PBS Kids content is a trusted and safe source for children to watch television, play digital games and mobile apps. And PBS Kids channels are available to 98% of U.S. TV households.

The Trump administration on May 1 signed an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and all federal executive departments and agencies to stop funding PBS (and NPR), threatening not just “Arthur” but educational programming for kids everywhere.

Public media is the last safe place for children

About 50% of children in America are not enrolled in preschool. Given that the unregulated digital landscape for kids can be toxic, dangerous and for profit, with advertisers trying to sell everything from bad snacks to toys their parents might not be able to afford, public media is the last safe place for our children.

PBS Kids’ shows, funded through Ready to Learn grants from the Department of Education – which are now at risk – are created with child psychologists and education experts to ensure the betterment of all children.

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It is noncommercial and free, accessible over broadcast even in remote areas, there to provide any child – regardless of means or circumstance – the ability to learn and grow, all while being entertained.

What “Arthur” has always done well is reflect real life without bias and give kids the skills to manage the joys and challenges of growing up, whether that’s how to be a good friend, having a parent deployed in the military, understanding autism or welcoming a new baby into the family. In one episode, Buster (the bunny character) even invites viewers into his lungs to understand what it’s like to have asthma. And episodes like these have really mattered.

As many as 46.1 million Americans would lose access to public media

I get many thank you letters from “Arthur” fans. Parents say the show helped them discuss their values and ideas with their children. Children – now adults – say “Arthur” inspired them to realize their dreams or helped them fit in.

One letter that will always stay with me was from someone who was a second grader in New York City on his school bus the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Witnessing the horror at the World Trade Center and hugging his Arthur plush animal that he had brought for show and tell, Arthur gave him comfort, that day and throughout his entire childhood.

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But without federal funding, programs such as “Arthur” may not exist. And while each of America’s 356 local public television stations would be affected by funding cuts, those serving rural, island and tribal communities would face the most severe consequences.

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A 2023 study by Protect My Public Media found that without funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 26 stations would go off air, and 23 more stations would need to reduce their coverage areas, cutting off rural audiences due to the high costs of reaching these communities.

That’s as many as 46.1 million Americans losing access to public media, which plays a critical role in public safety, education and connecting communities – for everyone, everywhere, every day.

I can’t imagine Elwood City – or any place – without it.

Marc Brown is the Emmy and George Foster Peabody award-winning author of the children’s book series “Arthur,” and the cocreator of the PBS Kids series of the same name.

May 3, 2025
Host, time, how to watch Quinta Brunson
“Saturday Night Live” is set to air its 19th and final episode of Season 50 this weekend, with its host making her second appearance on the iconic late-night show.
This Saturday’s episode will be hosted by Quinta Brunson, according to NBC. The actress, comedian and writer will return to the late-night comedy show for the second time.

Brunson will be joined by Benson Boone as the night’s musical guest. Brunson made her debut on SNL back on April 1, 2023. Boone, on the other hand, will make his SNL debut on Saturday ahead of the release of his upcoming album, American Heart.

Here’s what to know about the Saturday, May 3 show, including what time it airs and how to watch.

How to watch ‘SNL’ on May 3

The May 3 “SNL” episode will be available to watch live on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.

Viewers can also stream it the next day on Peacock.

Who is the ‘SNL’ musical guest on May 3?

Benson Boone is the May 3 musical guest.

His performance comes on the heels of his appearance at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Who’s in the Season 50 ‘SNL’ cast?

James Austin Johnson reprised his role as President Donald Trump. Bowen Yang has played the role of Vice President JD Vance.

Former cast member Maya Rudolph played the role of Vice President Kamala Harris in the lead-up to the November presidential election.

Season 50 returning cast members include:

Michael Che

Mikey Day

Andrew Dismukes

Chloe Fineman

Heidi Gardner

Marcello Hernández

James Austin Johnson

Colin Jost

Michael Longfellow

Ego Nwodim

Ashley Padilla

Sarah Sherman

Kenan Thompson

Devon Walker

Emil Wakim

Jane Wickline

Bowen Yang

New cast members this season are:

Ashley Padilla

Emil Wakim

Jane Wickline

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
May 3, 2025
Crossword Blog & Answers for May 3, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Poetry in Motion
Constructor: Amanda Rafkin

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

MINORITY REPORT (34A: 2002 cyberpunk Spielberg film) Steven Spielberg’s movie Minority Report is based on a 1956 novella by Philip K. Dick. The movie is set in the year 2054 in the Washington metropolitan area. Tom Cruise stars as the chief of a specialized police department known as Precrime, which apprehends criminals based on knowledge learned from psychics. Several of the futuristic technologies in the movie – such iris scanners, personalized advertising, and autonomous cars – now exist.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

OMW (14A: “Heading over now,” for short) OMW = on my way

BILLY PORTER (15A: Actor and singer who starred in “Kinky Boots” and “Pose”) In 2013, BILLY PORTER originated the role of Lola in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots. For that role he won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. In the TV series Pose (2018-2021), BILLY PORTER portrays Pray Tell, an emcee of New York City’s balls and a fashion designer. For this role, he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

FUTON (19A: Foldable couch) and COTS (21A: Foldable beds) This is a fun duo of foldable furniture clues.

RAT (31A: Remy, Rizzo or Templeton) Remy is a RAT in Disney’s 2007 animated movie Ratatouille. Rizzo the RAT is a Muppet character who often appears with Gonzo the Great. Templeton is a RAT in Charlotte’s Web. This is a nice trio of RAT characters. Solvers only need to be familiar with one RAT in order to be successful.

LEIS (33A: Garlands that might be made using hala fruit) LEIS made using hala fruit – the fruit of the Pandanus pectorius tree – are traditionally used for special occasions, particularly the celebration of the end of an era (graduation, e.g.) or the transition to a new era (celebrating a New Year, e.g.).

ORA (40A: “The Masked Singer” judge Rita) The Masked Singer is a reality singing competition that features celebrities vying to be the favorite singer. Contestants perform in costumes and masks that conceal their identities. Rita ORA has been on the show’s panel of judges since its eleventh season.

KERI (50A: “The Diplomat” actress Russell) On the Netflix TV series The Diplomat, KERI Russell stars as Kate Wyler, U.S. ambassador to the U.K.

TED TALK (54A: Lecture that’s around 18 minutes long) TED TALKs originated at the TED Conference in 1984. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. TED TALKs present an idea in 18 minutes or less. Since 2006, TED TALKs have been available to view online, with the tagline “Discover ideas worth spreading.” TED TALKs cover a variety of topics, such as “The power of vulnerability” (Brené Brown), “Magic and wonder in the age of AI,” (David Kwong), and “The Black history of twerking — and how it taught me self-love” (Lizzo).

EMU (64A: LiMu ___ (rhyming insurance mascot)) LiMu EMU has been a mascot for Liberty Mutual insurance since 2019.

REPUTATION (4D: Taylor Swift album with a snake aesthetic) and NAME (53D: “Say my ___ and everything just stops”) REPUTATION is Taylor Swift’s sixth studio album, released in 2017. The imagery of snakes associated with REPUTATION was inspired by (and a response to) online criticism of Taylor Swift that referred to her as a snake. REPUTATION includes the song, “Look What You Made Me Do.” The album also includes the song “Dress,” which includes the lyric “Say my NAME and everything just stops.”

ACT (6D: Perform in “Redwood”) The musical Redwood opened on Broadway earlier this year. Idina Menzel portrays Jesse, a mother grieving the death of her son. She impulsively starts driving away from her east coast home, and ultimately finds herself in a redwood forest on the west coast. I was excited to see this clue, as my husband and I were fortunate enough to see Redwood on Broadway last month. The show has received mixed reviews, but I really enjoyed it. Getting to see Idina Menzel ACT and sing (sometimes suspended in the air while climbing a “redwood”) was incredible. The set was amazing, using projection to make you feel as if you’re in a redwood forest. I did cry through much of the show (it’s an emotional topic), but there were also a few funny moments. One of my favorite moments was when one of the other characters said to Idina Menzel’s character, “Just a minute ago you were a Disney princess.”

DRUM (13D: Djembe or conga, e.g.) A djembe is a goblet-shaped DRUM, and a conga is a tall barrel-shaped DRUM. Both of these DRUMs are played with bare hands.

TAILOR (20D: Make alterations to) My first thought here (before I looked at the letter count) was “edit.” After all, we see EDIT in the puzzle on a regular basis. “Aha!” These are different kinds of alterations. That’s fun.

SHAPES (45D: The Tetris tetrominoes come in seven different ones) Tetris is the second-best-selling video game franchise. (The Mario franchise is the first.) There’s just something about those falling SHAPES that makes this game a classic. As the clue informs us, the Tetris tetrominoes come in seven different SHAPES. It occurs to me that this fact could also be used to clue the word “seven.” (I’m tucking that thought away for future use.)

DESK (55D: Tiny ___ Concert) A Tiny DESK Concert is exactly what it sounds like, performers give a concert behind a desk in the NPR offices. Recent Tiny DESK Concerts feature performances by Madison McFerrin and Grupo Frontera.

A few other clues I especially enjoyed:

ERR ( Play an F♯ in a C major scale =, say)

I’M INTO IT (9D: “Love that, love that!”)

AT MY AGE (23D: “When you get to be this old…”)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

BILLY PORTER (15A: Actor and singer who starred in “Kinky Boots” and “Pose”)

MINORITY REPORT (34A: 2002 cyberpunk Spielberg film)

PARTY PEOPLE (57A: They’re always ready for a good time)

POETRY IN MOTION: Each theme answer contains an anagram of the word POETRY: BILLY PORTER, MINORITY REPORT, and PARTY PEOPLE.

This is the second day in a row for a hidden anagram theme, and it’s another fun one. We have the following anagrams of POETRY hidden in the theme answers: Y/PORTE, TY/REPO, and RTY/PEO. I think it’s especially fitting that BILLY PORTER is a theme answer. As a performer, his movements could be described as POETRY IN MOTION. Thank you, Amanda, for this delightful puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
May 3, 2025