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The Mandalorian & Grogu is now just about a month away, and the hype is starting for real. Director and Mando creator Jon Favreau was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! recently to promote the upcoming Star Wars adventure, and shared the very first clip. It shows Din Djarin in a high-speed chase, with a prisoner in tow. And with him is Zeb from Star Wars Rebels, who looks to have a substantial role in the film. Little Grogu is on the Razor Crest, (goodbye, N1-Starfighter), and he’s trying to help his bounty huntin’ daddy. But let’s just say, he’s having a hard time following directions. You can watch the first The Mandalorian & Grogu clip below:

First clip from ‘THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU’.

In theaters on May 22. pic.twitter.com/3LnRP4PTIc

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 22, 2026

In the scene, Mando is driving away in a speeder. And it kind of looks like a blue version of Luke’s Tatooine landspeeder from A New Hope. They are being shot at by some bad guys, with Zeb in the backseat, shooting blaster fire right back. Mando tries to get Grogu to help from the Razor Crest. But it seems his training on what the control panels mean has fallen on deaf ears. I mean, he’s just a baby, what did he expect? This scene is very reminiscent of the scene with Baby Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. I guess cute alien babies trying to figure out instructions in life-or-death situations is never going to not be funny.

RELATED ARTICLE

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU’s New Trailer and Opening Sequence Are BrilliantLucasfilm

We’re not sure what planet they’re on, but the terrain looks like we might be on Nevarro again. That’s where Mando and his wee charge decided to make a home at the end of season three of The Mandalorian. But really, it could be anywhere in the galaxy. It seems the galaxy far, far away has no shortage of these dry, arid worlds. We’ll find out where they are when The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives in theaters on May 22.

The post First MANDALORIAN & GROGU Clip Shows REBELS’ Zeb in Action appeared first on Nerdist.

This article was contributed by Social Boosting

Instagram growth in 2026 isn’t easy. Reach is tighter, the algorithm is pickier and getting noticed organically feels like shouting into the void. That’s why creators and businesses are searching for the best sites to buy Instagram likes and followers safely to push their content without risking their account.

But not every provider is safe. Some sell bots. Some tank your engagement. A few mess with your account security. Only a handful deliver real Instagram likes and followers from active accounts.

This guide breaks down the safest providers in 2026, what “safe” really means and how to choose the right social media growth service without putting your account at risk. Our ranking is based on 14 months of hands-on testing across real Instagram accounts, from under 1K followers to 50K+. No provider paid for placement.

Trusted Providers to Buy Instagram Likes and Followers (Ranked)

Here are the providers that actually hold up under scrutiny. Our ranking is based on real orders, tracked retention rates over 60 days, support ticket response times and how each provider’s likes behaved in Instagram’s analytics dashboard.

1. SocialBoosting—Best Site to Purchase Instagram Likes and Followers Safely

If you only remember one name from this article, make it SocialBoosting. It’s the most reliable, transparent and genuinely safe provider we’ve tested, and it’s earned that reputation consistently year after year. 

Thousands of creators worldwide already trust it to power their Instagram account growth, and once you dig into what they actually offer, it’s easy to see why.

SocialBoosting gives you a real choice between two tiers, and both are built around safety:

• High-Quality Likes—Fast delivery, secure purchase, no password required and 24/7 support. Perfect for steady, organic-looking growth.
• Premium Likes—Everything in High-Quality, plus likes from verified, active accounts, guaranteed instant delivery, a 30-day refill guarantee, long-term impact and an increased chance of landing on the Explore page.

Why SocialBoosting sits at #1:

• 100 percent real engagement, zero bots—Every like comes from an active Instagram user, which is exactly what the algorithm (and your audience) respects.
• Smart drip-feed delivery on packages above 1,000 likes, distributing engagement gradually so nothing looks suspicious or triggers a flag.
• No password required, ever—They only ask for your username and the post URL. That’s it.
• Refill guarantee—If any likes drop off, they’re replaced free of charge. You keep what you paid for.
• Money-back guarantee—If they don’t deliver what’s promised, you get a full refund. No hoops, no fine print.
• Flexible payments—All major credit and debit cards, plus Apple Pay and Google Pay, with encrypted checkout.
• 24/7 customer support that actually responds, not bot replies.
• Transparent, scalable pricing—Packages start at just $2.15 for 50 likes and scale all the way up to 20K likes, with serious discounts on larger tiers (up to 77 percent off).

What really sets SocialBoosting apart is the philosophy behind it. The team treats your account like their own, which shows up in the conservative delivery speeds, the verified-account sourcing on Premium packages and the fact that they publicly offer a full money-back guarantee. They’re not gambling with your reputation, and they don’t want you to either.

They also offer a free Instagram likes and followers trial, so you can test quality firsthand before committing to anything. That kind of confidence in their own product is rare in this industry.

Field-Tested Insight: We placed a 2,500-like order on a test account and tracked retention daily for 60 days. Dropoff was under 2 percent, and the likes were spread across accounts with bios, posts and consistent activity. Compared to the industry average (15-30 percent dropoff within the first week), this was the clearest quality benchmark we recorded.

Best for: Creators, businesses and anyone who wants long-term, risk-free growth backed by real guarantees.

Check SocialBoosting’s Instagram likes packages.

2. Boostme

Boostme is another name that deserves real credit. It’s a dependable provider that takes quality seriously, and it’s earned a loyal user base for good reason.

What Boostme does well:

• High-quality likes from real-looking accounts
• Drip-feed delivery available on most packages
• Clean, easy-to-navigate ordering process
• Responsive support team
• Competitive pricing without cutting corners on quality

Boostme isn’t quite as polished as SocialBoosting when it comes to refill policies and delivery consistency on larger orders, but it’s a strong second choice. In our testing, a 1,000-like order arrived within 4 hours with roughly 7 percent dropoff over 30 days, which is solid by industry standards. If you want a trusted alternative or you’re testing providers side by side, Boostme holds up.

Best for: Users who want reliable quality at a fair price.

3. Media Mister

Media Mister has been around since 2012, which gives it a certain credibility. It serves multiple platforms, not just Instagram, and its likes tend to be of decent quality.

• Slower delivery (which can be a plus for safety)
• Wide range of services across platforms
• No password needed

The downside? Support can be slow (we waited over 18 hours for a response on one test ticket), and the interface feels dated.

Best for: Users who want a veteran provider with cross-platform options.

4. SocialWick

SocialWick is popular for fast delivery and a big menu of services. It’s been praised for its dashboard and ease of use.

• Fast turnaround
• Packages for likes, followers, views and more
• Decent quality on standard tiers

However, quality can be inconsistent on the cheaper packages. In one test order, we saw roughly 22 percent dropoff within two weeks on a budget-tier package, and refills weren’t processed until we followed up manually.

Best for: Users who prioritize speed over premium quality.

5. Views4You

Views4You is newer but has built a name for itself with sleek branding and a focus on video-related engagement. Their likes are reasonably priced and delivery is usually smooth.

• Clean UX
• Free trial options on some services
• Okay-quality likes

Not the top pick for safety-first users, but a fair middle-of-the-road option.

Best for: Casual users testing the waters.

6. Twicsy

Twicsy is one of the older names in the space and markets heavily toward influencers. Prices are on the higher side, but the service does deliver.

• Established brand
• Fast delivery
• Multiple package sizes

The quality is decent but not outstanding, and the pricing feels steep compared to SocialBoosting or Boostme for similar output. You’re partly paying for the brand name.

Best for: Users who want a well-known brand and don’t mind paying extra.

What Does “Safe” Mean When Buying Instagram Likes and Followers?

Real safety comes down to five non-negotiable criteria:

• Real users, not bots—active Instagram accounts, not empty shells
• Drip-feed delivery—paced, natural growth (no 5,000-like spikes)
• No password required—ever
• Refill or refund guarantees—drops get replaced
• Secure, encrypted payments—Stripe, PayPal or crypto only

Pro Tip: In our testing, posts that got likes within 30 minutes of going live saw up to 3x better reach. Timing matters as much as quantity, which is why drip-feed delivery is the gold standard.

If a site misses even one, move on.

Comparison Table: Safe Instagram Likes Providers (2026) ProviderReal LikesDeliveryRefill GuaranteeBest ForSocialBoosting✅ High-quality realDrip-feed, natural✅ LifetimeSafest overall choiceBoostme✅ RealDrip-feed available✅ YesReliable runner-upMedia Mister✅ DecentSlow, steady⚠️ LimitedVeteran usersSocialWick⚠️ MixedFast⚠️ InconsistentSpeed seekersViews4You✅ OkayModerate⚠️ PartialCasual usersTwicsy✅ DecentFast✅ YesBrand-name fans How We Tested These Services

To keep this ranking honest, we didn’t rely on marketing claims. We put our own budget and test accounts on the line. Over a 60-day period, our team ran a controlled study across 12 unique Instagram test accounts to see which providers actually deliver.

Our 5-Point Rating Methodology

Every service was scored on a weighted system (0-10) across five areas:

• Retention Rate (40 percent)—Follower counts tracked at 24 hours, 7 days and 30 days. Drops above 15 percent without auto-refill got penalized.
• Profile Authenticity (25 percent)—We manually audited 100 random followers per order, checking for profile pictures, bios and recent activity.
• Safety & Security (15 percent)—Password-required services were disqualified instantly. We also monitored for shadowbans and action blocks.
• Customer Support (10 percent)—We sent “missing follower” inquiries to every provider and measured response time plus refill willingness.
• Payment Security (10 percent)—All transactions verified through SSL-encrypted gateways or secure processors like Apple Pay.

MetricSocialBoostingBoostme (Budget)Bot Sites (Excluded)30-Day Retention97 percent84 percent42 percentAvg. Delivery Time12-48 hours4-6 hoursUnder 1 hourAccount QualityBio + 3+ postsBio onlyNo photo, no bioRisk LevelVery LowLowHigh Why Instagram Followers Still Matter in 2026

Followers still shape how your account is perceived. When someone lands on your profile, the first thing they notice is the numbers. That’s social proof in action. People naturally trust accounts that look established.

There’s also the algorithm side. More followers and engagement send positive signals, which often leads to better reach over time. And for creators and businesses alike, a strong follower count simply makes you look more credible.

Real Benefits of More Followers and Likes

• Increased visibility, especially on new posts
• Higher engagement that pushes content to wider audiences
• Stronger credibility and social proof
• Better chances of attracting organic followers over time

Think of it as the initial push that makes everything else easier.

How to Choose a Safe Instagram Likes Provider

Here’s a quick checklist before you hit “buy” anywhere:

• No password requirement—non-negotiable
• Drip-feed delivery—keeps the algorithm happy
• Real accounts—no bots, no empty profiles
• Refill or refund policy—clearly stated on the site
• Secure payment gateway—Stripe, PayPal or crypto
• Responsive support—test this before placing a big order
• Transparent pricing—no hidden renewal traps

Pro Tip: Before placing any large order, send the support team a simple pre-sales question. How fast they reply and how clearly they answer tells you everything about what post-purchase support will look like. This single test has saved us from bad providers more than once.

If a provider fails even one of these, skip it. There are plenty of safe Instagram likes providers that meet every criterion.

Risks of Buying Instagram Likes

Let’s be real for a minute. Buying likes isn’t risk-free, no matter what any site promises. Here’s what can actually go wrong, based on patterns we’ve observed across hundreds of test orders and client accounts:

• Engagement mismatch—10,000 likes on a post with 200 comments looks suspicious. Balance matters.
• Fake accounts getting wiped—If the likes come from bots, Instagram’s periodic purges (which typically run every 4-8 weeks) will delete them, leaving your post looking weaker than before.
• Algorithm flags—Sudden, unnatural spikes can trigger shadowban-like effects. We’ve seen reach drop by up to 60 percent on accounts that bought cheap bulk likes with no drip-feed.
• Reputational damage—Savvy users can spot fake engagement, and it can hurt credibility. Brand partners often run their own audits before sponsoring creators.

This is exactly why the provider you choose matters more than the price. Cheap, low-quality likes are almost guaranteed to cause problems. Premium, real Instagram likes from providers like SocialBoosting are designed to blend in and stay put.

Expert Warning: The biggest mistake we see creators make is buying likes on every single post. Instagram’s algorithm looks at engagement patterns over time. If every post suddenly has similar like counts, the pattern becomes detectable. Mix it up. Buy likes on your best content only, not across the board.

Do Bought Likes Affect Engagement Rate?

Short answer: it depends on how you do it.

Short-term: A boost of real-looking likes can improve your post’s visibility in the algorithm, pushing it to the Explore page or broader reach pools. In testing, we saw a 40-70 percent increase in non-follower impressions on posts that received quality likes within the first hour.

Long-term: If you overdo it or buy low-quality likes, your engagement rate (likes + comments ÷ followers) can actually drop because bought likes rarely come with comments or shares.

How to avoid issues:

• Start small. Test with modest packages.
• Spread likes across multiple posts, not just one.
• Pair with organic content strategy.
• Always use drip-feed delivery.
• Match the like count to realistic engagement ratios for your account size (usually 3-8 percent of follower count per post).

Done right, bought likes support your growth. Done wrong, they sabotage it.

Best Strategy: Combine Paid Likes + Organic Growth

Here’s the truth nobody selling likes wants to say out loud: bought likes are a support tool, not a strategy.

The creators who actually grow long-term do this:

1. Post consistently with strong content.
2. Use paid likes as an early push to signal the algorithm.
3. Engage genuinely with their community.
4. Layer in Reels, Stories and collaborations.

Providers like SocialBoosting work best when they’re part of a bigger plan. Buy likes to give momentum, not to fake a presence that doesn’t exist. That’s how you get organic-looking engagement that compounds over time.

Pro Tip: The most effective pattern we’ve seen is buying a modest like package (around 300-500 likes) within the first 30 minutes of posting a Reel. It nudges the algorithm to push the content to a wider test audience, and if the content is actually good, the organic snowball does the rest. This “ignition strategy” has consistently outperformed dumping 5,000 likes on a single post.

Top Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Instagram Likes

Before choosing a provider, it’s just as important to understand the common mistakes that can put your account at risk or waste your budget. 

• Ordering 10,000 likes on a brand-new account
• Choosing the cheapest provider to “test”
• Ignoring drip-feed options
• Sharing your password (just don’t)
• Buying likes without also posting new content
• Skipping the refill policy check
• Buying likes on private accounts (they won’t deliver properly)
• Ordering during Instagram’s periodic purge windows without refill coverage

Avoiding these pitfalls ensures your investment actually supports your growth instead of harming your account’s performance. 

Final Take

If you want the best sites to buy Instagram likes safely in 2026, the ranking is clear:

• SocialBoosting is the safest, most reliable and highest-quality option on the market. It’s the provider we’d trust with our own accounts, full stop.
• Boostme is a strong second choice with solid quality and fair pricing.
• The rest (Media Mister, SocialWick, Views4You, Twicsy) each have their niche, but none match the consistency and safety of the top two.

Remember: the goal isn’t just likes. It’s sustainable growth without risking your account. Pick a provider that respects that, pair it with real content and you’ll actually see results that last.

Frequently Asked Questions Which is the safest option to buy Instagram likes and followers?

The safest option in 2026 is SocialBoosting. They deliver likes from real, active accounts, use drip-feed delivery, require no password and include refill guarantees. SocialBoosting ranks #1 for safety and retention, while Boostme is a strong alternative.

Does buying Instagram likes and followers actually help?

Yes, but only short-term. Paid engagement can boost visibility and provide initial social proof. However, long-term growth still depends on content quality and real audience interaction.

Can Instagram ban your account for buying likes and followers?

Direct bans are rare. Instagram typically removes fake engagement or limits reach if activity looks unnatural. Using a high-quality provider with gradual delivery minimizes this risk.

Are Instagram likes and followers real?

With premium providers, yes. Likes come from active accounts with profiles and activity. Lower-quality providers often use bots or inactive accounts.

How fast is Instagram likes delivery?

Delivery depends on the provider. Safe services use gradual (drip-feed) delivery, which can take a few hours to a few days. Instant large deliveries can signal low-quality service.

What is drip-feed delivery on Instagram?

Drip-feed delivery means likes are added gradually over time instead of all at once. This mimics natural growth and reduces the risk of triggering Instagram’s spam detection.

Is buying Instagram likes safe in 2026?

Yes, if you choose a reliable provider. Modern services use smarter delivery methods that align with Instagram’s algorithm, making the process safer than before.

Can people tell if you bought Instagram likes?

Not with high-quality providers. Likes come from realistic accounts and blend naturally. Low-quality services are easier to spot due to fake or empty profiles.

Disclaimer

Not all Instagram followers and likes boosting services are created equal. Providers that use bot accounts or generic spam comments or likes can damage your profile’s credibility and engagement rate, and may violate Instagram’s terms of service. 

The services featured in this guide deliver comments from real, active Instagram accounts through legitimate methods. Each has a documented track record, a long-standing reputation with clients and no verified cases of profiles being penalized as a direct result of using their services.

The editorial staff of the Pajaronain was not involved in the creation of this content. The content is for general information and does not constitute the financial, medical or professional advice of this publication. Readers should consult qualified professionals regarding their individual circumstances. The Pajaronian disclaims any liability for loss or damage resulting from reliance on this content.

New site set to begin manufacturing and testing HBM memory just in time for Nvidia's Rubin-Ultra GPUs in 2028

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Samara Weaving and Jason Segel take the phrase “till death do us part” to the extreme in Jorma Taccone’s violent dark comedy, Over Your Dead Body. Between movies like Ready or Not Here I Come and They Will Kill You, fun slasher-adjacent comedies seem to be all the rage right now. Although these types of films might not be the most cinematic or reflective in the grand scheme of things, they offer a solid hour and a half for audiences to just sit back and have fun. Which is exactly what they’re meant to do. I am one who tends to appreciate that. Over You Dead Body carries a very similar tone; It’s funny, bitingly gory, and a good time overall. Independent Film Company

Over Your Dead Body is an intense and hyperviolent ride. Seriously, it is very bloody. It’s chock-full of sarcastic one-liners, most of which land pretty well. That is largely attributed to Weaving and Segel’s killer delivery. I found the movie very similar to They Will Kill You in terms of its tone and energy. It is both comedic and thrilling. While there were parts I didn’t love about it, Over Your Dead Body definitely works well for what it’s supposed to be.

Segel and Weaving play the unhappily married couple Dan and Lisa. Dan is a fallen film director who now directs commercials. Lisa is a stage actress looking for her big break. Once happy and in love, the pair now harbor a strong detestation toward one another. Several reasons are to blame for their marriage going sour. On one hand, Dan made some poor spending decisions that landed both of them in heaps of debt. On the other, Lisa drifted a little too close to one of her male coworkers.

To thwart their marital issues, Dan and Lisa decide to take a quiet getaway in a remote cabin belonging to Dan’s father. What better form of couple’s therapy is there than a romantic retreat in the woods? I’m gonna go with not killing your life partner. Unbeknownst to Dan and Lisa, both of them went on the trip fully intending to murder the other. Their sinister plots quickly unravel, leading to an awkward yet hilarious confrontation with Dan duct taped to a chair. Things get even more chaotic when a crude trio of fugitives (Juliette Lewis, Timothy Olyphant, and Keith Jardine) crash the party. A whirlwind of violence and action ensues, forcing Dan and Lisa to table their problems to take on the unwelcome intruders.

Independent Film Company

The dynamic between Weaving and Segel is very entertaining. Weaving is an overly sarcastic, disaffected actress, while Segel is her grumpy, mismatched partner. They play the part of a resentful couple quite well. Hearing Weaving deliver her lines in her thick, authentic Aussie accent made it that much better.

While I found the movie enjoyable, there were still parts I didn’t love. For instance, the “prison fight” scene felt a tad unnecessary and stretched on for way too long. I get that Lewis, Olyphant, and Jardine are supposed to be the bad guys and all, but the uncomfy sequence felt tonally out of place. Honestly, Allegra and Pete’s entire relationship made me slightly uncomfortable. That’s not to say that their violent antics weren’t entertaining.

What works well for this movie is its creative use of gore, which is heaps more than I was anticipating going into the theater. The movie carries copious amounts of blood loss and severed body parts, which is perfect for a dark comedy thriller of its nature. Despite the extreme violence, Over Your Dead Body somehow manages to maintain a relatively lighthearted and comedic tone throughout.

Independent Film Company

For a fun, violent action/comedy, Over Your Dead Body definitely hits the mark. Thanks to Segel and Weaving’s killer performances as the married couple from hell, the film is as quick-witted as it is gory. Though not without its flaws, it is a bloody good time.

Over Your Dead Body ⭐ (3.5 of 5)

The post OVER YOUR DEAD BODY Delivers Murderous Good Fun (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.

When Avengers: Endgame returns to theaters this September, it’s going to feature new-new footage that ties it to Doomsday. Marvel isn’t inserting deleted or extended scenes that it left on the cutting room floor in 2019. Co-director Joe Russo revealed the film will feature recently shot sequences “set in” Avengers: Doomsday‘s story. He’s excited by this “unique” opportunity to create a “bridge” between his films. I’m sure he his. Just as I’m sure there are some MCU fans who feel the same way. I’m just not not one of them, because this whole thing just feels hollow.Marvel Studios

I’m very much aware of this thing called “money.” I understand the financial reasons why Disney would want to re-release Avengers: Endgame with entirely new footage that promotes its next big-budget event film, Avengers: Doomsday. I simply don’t care about any of that. Budgets and box office totals are concerns for accountants. Besides, even if this is nothing more than a cash grab, people can either spend their money on this or not. Where I might be a little naive is that I don’t think this is entirely about selling tickets. I believe Marvel Studios has artistic and creative reasons for releasing this altered Endgame. As a fan I definitely care about those and their implications for the medium at large. And the artistic and creative reasons are exactly why this endeavor feels empty, desperate, and exhausting. Absolutely exhausting, in fact.

Even some fans excited by this new Doomsday–Endgame might not enjoy the feeling they “have” to see a movie they already know intimately. This is especially tiresome because it’s essentially an even more ludicrous form of pop culture “homework.” Following cinematic universes is already massively time-consuming under normal circumstance. The concept/burden of needing to know a lot of old stuff to appreciate something new has become so prevalent (and in many cases tedious and frustrating) artists now promote new entries by touting the lack of previous information necessary to enjoy them.

Marvel Studios

Instead of making Doomsday easier to watch and enjoy on its own merits, the MCU is going the other way with this Endgame alteration. It’s doing something Star Wars fans have come to hate with good reason, only much worse. This isn’t just replacing Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christensen as Anakin’s ghost. This is like if Disney shot all new scenes while filming The Force Awakens and then put them in Return of the Jedi, an idea so upsetting it would have lead to actual riots outside of Lucasfilm. (Seriously, if you thought you were angry when Han shot first, imagine if teenage Jar Jar stopped and asked, “Why hesa shootsa poor Greedsees?”)

Now, Disney might not think this is an issue with the MCU specifically because that franchise’s fans have proven they’re huge nerds who freaking love homework. It’s actually a big reason for the franchise’s massive success during its first decade. I know I didn’t mind my MCU homework. Like many others, I rewatched every single film ahead of Avengers: Infinity War. It was great! I loved it! And it paid off. The more homework you did before Avengers: Endgame, the more that the movie rewarded you. Oh, you thought you could skip rewatching Thor: The Dark World? TOO BAD FOR YOU. But for as much as Endgame rewarded the most dedicated MCU fans, that movie was also the final exam after a decade of studying!

Marvel Studios

Endgame was the test we all passed to graduate from Infinity Saga University. Now, for reasons we’ll get to, Marvel is telling us we have to go back and retake that three-hour-long test if we want to get our Maste…..okay I’ve stretched this school analogy longer than Reed Richards, but you get the point. This isn’t fun. This feels less like an exciting new way to watch an old movie and more like having to clock back in at our old job. Avengers: Doomsday is supposed to serve as (the beginning of) the end for Phases 4-6, the MCU’s Multiversal Saga. Any prep/rewatches needed to enhance this new experience should be limited to films and shows from this era. Memories of the Infinity Saga should be enough.

Instead, the Russos are doing their own Time Heist and forcing us to go with them and pay for a ticket to do so. (In fairness, we don’t yet know if this altered Avengers: Endgame will arrive on Disney+ before Doomsday premieres. If it does, that will certainly help.) And all of this is just to see new footage that serves an entirely different film. This new footage getting jammed into an already completed work of art only exists to serve as a “bridge” to a film coming out seven years later. It’s….I’m just so tired.

Marvel Studios

We know why the Russos and Marvel Studios might want/think they need that bridge. Agree with it or not, there is an artistic reason for doing this: fixing a big problem. The post-Infinity Saga MCU hasn’t exactly been the smooth narrative machine of the Infinity Saga. It all but abandoned the serialization format it used to build it into a global behemoth. Despite some great individual installments, too many characters and stories have come and gone without feeling important or making an impact. The unthinkable has also happened. You can skip entire shows or movies without feeling like you missed out. No one ever felt that way before Infinity War or Endgame.

Part of that approach was noble, as Marvel tried telling new stories using formats that broke out of an aging model. Part of that approach was not, as Disney forced Marvel to feed Disney+. But at this point, on the verge of Avengers: Doomsday, the reasons don’t matter. The only thing that matters is that it’s hard to even remember who the Multiverse Saga characters even are. I don’t even know if Shang-Chi will remember he’s a superhero when he finally returns to the MCU after five freaking years.

Marvel Studios

The unfocused, meandering post Thanos MCU also hasn’t “done the work” to earn this latest Avengers movie. Doomsday and its titular villain feel rushed because the whole Multiversal War Saga is undercooked. Part of that, obviously, has to do with the fact Disney course corrected after firing Jonathan Majors and shifting from Kang to Doom as its big bad. But that’s one reason of many. Not many viewers were thrilled with Kang’s development or the state of the franchise. But at least Kang was already part of the franchise. This is the entirety of Doom’s involvement in the MCU right now.

Marvel Studios

The fact that Marvel and the Russos built this “bridge” is a tacit admission that Phases 4, 5, and 6 lacked cohesion and narrative focus. So they’re trying to imbue it by retroactively placing it in Avengers: Endgame. They’re putting this undercooked phase in the microwave and serving it up as part of a meal they know you loved. The idea is clearly to give Avengers: Doomsday more narrative weight and importance in the franchise through its new “connection” with Avengers: Endgame.

It doesn’t work that way. Even if it’s done well, even if it’s executed in an interesting, creative, compelling way, you can’t microwave a gourmet meal, which is what Endgame was for fans. It was a gourmet meal for diehards, a fitting, rewarding end that came after a decade of careful preparation. Marvel Studios and the Russos are desperate to serve up that kind of experience again, but it’s impossible at this point. Avengers: Doomsday is going to succeed or fail on its own. The movie is either going to overcome the lack of build, or it isn’t, and no “bridge” is going to change that.

It’s desperation, in the same way the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom was. It’s an attempt to recapture old glory without earning it. This is, under the best circumstances, an artistic endeavor undertaken solely to retroactively fix issues. And it’s being done in the worst way, by changing a completed work of art. None of this is “unique” or exciting. It’s just all so hollow.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. He is better at movie homework than he was actual homework. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Altering AVENGERS: ENDGAME with New DOOMSDAY Footage Feels Hollow appeared first on Nerdist.

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Rob and Jolynn Diepenbroek, with their dog, Loki, check out rows of early-day cars at the weekly Cars and Coffee event in East Lake Village Shopping Center. The free Saturday gathering, from 9-11am at 936 E. Lake Ave. in Watsonville, is a place for car and truck owners of yesteryear models to meet the public and share their stories. Dozens of vehicles, from a 1941 Pontiac Eight to a ‘68 Cougar filled out the event that also served as a donation station for children’s clothes thanks to Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services. The donations help kids and their families who are battling cancer.

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An appeals court has blocked a California law passed in 2025 requiring federal immigration agents to wear a badge or some form of identification.

The post Federal appeals court blocks California law requiring federal agents to wear identification appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Cursor was on track to close a $2 billion fundraise this week, but chose to halt the round after SpaceX offered a $10 billion "collaboration fee" and a path to a $60 billion acquisition.

The Trump family’s cryptocurrency venture World Liberty Financial is being sued by one of its billionaire investors, who claims the company froze his token holdings.

In the lawsuit filed Tuesday, Justin Sun accused World Liberty Financial of “engaging in an illegal scheme to seize property.”

“They wrongfully froze all of my tokens, stripped me of my right to vote on governance proposals, and have threatened to permanently destroy my tokens,” Sun wrote in a statement on X on Tuesday night. While he said he remains an “ardent supporter” of Trump and his administration’s efforts to make crypto-friendly policies, Sun wrote that “certain individuals” associated with World Liberty were operating the venture “in a manner that goes against President Trump’s values.”

Sun backed the Trump family when they launched World Liberty Financial in 2024, investing $30 million. He spent another $45 million on 3 billion tokens just a few months later. According to Reuters, Sun owns about 4 billion tokens worth approximately $320 million. 

World Liberty Financial’s co-founder, Zach Witkoff, wrote in a Wednesday post on X that Sun’s legal complaint “is a desperate attempt to deflect attention from Sun’s own misconduct.” Witkoff did not offer more details on what Sun did but said the investor’s actions required the company to “take action to protect itself and its users.” 

As my colleagues Russ Choma, Dan Friedman, and Tim Murphy wrote in 2025:

Shortly after Trump took office, the Securities and Exchange Commission—which had accused Sun of fraud in a federal complaint—agreed to pause its lawsuit while the parties pursued a “potential resolution.” That was one of more than a dozen lawsuits and investigations targeting crypto firms that the SEC reportedly backed off from after Trump took office.

Sun eventually resolved the case with the SEC in a $10 million settlement last month. 

The Trump family receives 75 percent of net proceeds from token sales. According to the Wall Street Journal, since the launch, they have received about $1 billion in proceeds as of December 2025.

In the early 1980s, when her eponymous bakery was in its infancy, Gayle Ortiz learned that a developer planned to turn the land surrounding the Rispin Mansion in Capitola into a senior living complex and several private homes.

That plan did not sit well with Ortiz, who believed the palatial home should be preserved. She jumped into action.

“We felt like that was going to take it out of the public realm, and we asked the City Council to buy it,” said Ortiz, who also heads Capitola Cares, a group raising funds to rebuild the mansion grounds.

The council agreed, and the city made the $1 million purchase.

Some four decades later, elected officials, Capitola city employees and community members gathered to celebrate the completion of the Park at Rispin Mansion, a gardenscape that allows visitors to stroll the grounds of the 105-year-old building.

While Ortiz’s hopes of turning the once-lavish home at 2000 Wharf Road into a museum were sidelined after a 2009 fire, she said she was pleased to see the park come to fruition.

“It was beautiful before it burned,” she said. “Over the years, there’s been a lot of disappointments. But we’ve got to put those aside and see what’s happening today. And maybe someday, something will happen with the museum.”

Because of heavy rain Tuesday, the ceremony was held inside the Capitola Library just across the street from the new park. Both projects were part of a broader vision when City Manager Jamie Goldstein arrived in 2008, along with improvements to Clares Street.

“Here we are in a state-of-the-art library that this city put together,” he said. “Clares Street is a beautiful, multimodal street. And now today, thanks to our public works team and City Council support, the park across the street from Rispin Mansion is open.”

The Park at Rispin Mansion project — which cost about $1 million — was funded through the city’s general fund and voter-approved sources, including a Proposition 68 State of California Parks and Water Bond grant and Santa Cruz County Measure Q park improvement funds. Those funds helped pay for decorative hardscaping and utility work during construction.

The park features ADA-accessible pathways and a loop trail, concrete plazas and seating areas, native and riparian landscaping, modifications to the historic garden wall, as well as fencing, lighting, benches and recycling and trash bins.

Additional landscaping is planned, including a historic fountain to be funded in part through a $150,000 fundraising effort. That will include a chance to purchase a personalized paver stone.

For information, visit capitolacares.org.

Mayor Barbara Morgan said Rispin is the city’s first new park since 2006.

“One of the greatest parts of this project is really having access to outdoor space, which we know is really important in this community,” she said.Capitola celebrates Park at Rispin Mansion

The French government agency that issues and manages national IDs, passports, and other documents, announced that hackers stole the personal information of an unspecified number of citizens.

A countywide celebration of visual and performing arts kicked off April 16 and will run through April 26. 

The Ripple Effect Santa Cruz County Arts Festival is the County’s effort to highlight the creative community during California’s Arts, Culture and Creativity Month. 

Organizers said the event brings together local artists, cultural organizations, and venues to showcase a broad range of artistic disciplines, including visual arts, music, dance, theater, poetry, fashion and interactive workshops.

“Tree Red and Yellow Ticket Cones (left) and “Garden Party Series 1-4”) by William Marino are part of the current exhibit at PV Arts, “Hot Off the Walls: Art to Go!”  (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian)

Events include exhibitions, performances, pop-ups, and hands-on workshops across multiple venues throughout the county. While some activities are free, others, such as the finale, require tickets. 

Each venue manages its own events and ticketing, and parking options vary by location. 

The grassroots, volunteer-driven festival aims to strengthen the local arts community and economy, organizers said.
Watsonville events include “Many Truths, One World: Mariposa Arts Showcase & Artwork” by Claraty Arts at Watsonville Center for the Arts; the ongoing PV Arts exhibit, “Hot off the Walls, and recent paintings by Annie Morhauser at Annieglass. 

American singer, songwriter and musician in the country rock genre, Emmylou Harris is shown on stage with the Red Dirt Band Saturday at the Santa Cruz Civic as part of the Ripple Effect. (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian)

On Saturday Watsonville Public Library, 275 Main St., will host the Poets’ Circle featuring Watsonville writer Madeline “Maddie” Aliah, an award-winning teen author whose work spans poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. She will be joined by her mother, Geneffa Jahan, a longtime Cabrillo College English instructor and poet from 1-3pm. 

On Sunday the Guelaguetza Festival from 10-4pm in Santa Cruz. It will feature around 150 performers, food vendors with traditional Oaxacan plates and more.

An acrylic painting by Julia Morales Gonzalez, “Bus Stop,” at Watsonville Center for the Arts, is part of the Ripple Effect Arts Festival. (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian)

The Vive Oaxaca Guelaguetza is an authentic cultural festival with food, dance, music, and crafts presented each spring by Senderos. Similar to festivals in Oaxaca, Mexico, Guelaguetza is a Zapotec word that means “a commitment of sharing and cooperation.” Guelaguetza is a celebration that honors the gods for sufficient rainfall and a bountiful harvest, organizers said.

The festival takes place at Branciforte Small Schools campus, 840 North Branciforte Ave., Santa Cruz. Admission is $10, and children under 5 are free.For information, visit rippleartsfestsantacruz.org.

The iPhone and iPad bug allowed law enforcement using forensic tools to read messages that had long been deleted by the Signal app.

Amid a slew of Super-related movies in DC Studios’ slate, with both Supergirl and Man of Tomorrow following on from last year’s Superman, we have one of the more atypical projects from a comic book movie. That is Clayface, the body horror film which will serve as an origin story for one of Batman’s many monster villains. With a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini (Drive) and direction from James Watkins (Eden Lake), the movie has a pretty good pedigree. Footage from it also did pretty well at the recent CinemaCon 2026. Now, with the teaser trailer, we can finally see just how scary this comic book horror really is.

The teaser is much more of a mood piece than a story trailer. And what a mood that is! Using a haunting, nigh-acapella version of the Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” we spend much of the teaser looking at the badly scarred and bloodied face of Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) as it cuts to various clips of what we can assume happened before and after this. What gave him the Mouthwashing look?

Well, we know from the basic premise that Hagen was a dashing heartthrob actor whose face became horribly disfigured following a brutal attack. Believing his career (and life) are over, Hagen agrees to take part in an experimental drug trial which makes his flesh ultra malleable. He can look like a star again. However, as we see, the stability of his new, some might say, “clay face” is tenuous and he begins to sag and drip.

#ClayfaceMovie only in theaters October 23. pic.twitter.com/CwgZFYQSXK

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 22, 2026

This is right out of the superb two-part Batman: The Animated Series episode, “Feat of Clay.” I’d wondered how much of Clayface’s monstrous form we’d get. While we don’t see him hulking, we do have a couple of shots of Matt casting a shadow onto a building where he forms his arm into a giant mace. Again, this is straight out of BTAS. I’m thrilled we’re getting a horror movie within the DCU. Gotham City is home to dozens of the scariest villains in comics. Why no give all (or most of them) their own horror origin movie? Mister Freeze, Man-Bat, hell, even Poison Ivy.

Now, what we don’t and won’t know for a while is whether the Caped Crusader appears at all in Clayface. Maybe Commissioner Gordon or other prominent GCPD people, or some other of Batman’s rogues. The mind reels.

Warner Bros./DC Studios

Clayface will hit theaters October 23. Dang it, six whole months!

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!

The post The CLAYFACE Teaser Is Legitimately Scary appeared first on Nerdist.

We wanted to show you what happens after the confetti falls. We checked in with some of our recent alumni, many of whom have sat down with us on Build Mode: The Founder Survival Guide, TechCrunch's podcast for founders at every stage.

Google's newest TPUs are faster and cheaper than the previous versions. But the company is still embracing Nvidia in its cloud — for now.

Opt-out instructions included if you're not keen on GitHub watching you in the name of product improvement

Users of GitHub's command-line interface (CLI) who value privacy, beware. The Microsoft-owned code-hosting platform has quietly begun collecting pseudonymous client-side telemetry from CLI users and enabled it by default.…

The infamous Florida immigrant detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” can remain open, an appeals court ruled Tuesday, overturning a lower judge’s decision to close the facility because it violated federal environmental laws.

The ruling is the latest development in the months-long legal battle against the center, which was constructed in the Everglades last summer by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration when the Department of Homeland Security needed more detention space to house immigrants pending their deportations.

The center has come under fire for both its living conditions and its impact on the surrounding area. As I reported in March, thousands of people have been detained there despite ongoing reports of mosquito infestations, flooding, poor medical care, lackluster food, and limited water access. Last month, two US senators said they launched an investigation into reported abuses, including the use of “the box,” in which detainees were allegedly shackled and held in small cages in direct sunlight for hours at a time. (A spokesperson for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which runs Alligator Alcatraz, told me recently that the allegations were “false.”) In recent weeks, the center landed in the spotlight once again after attorneys representing immigrants held there told a judge that guards had assaulted and pepper-sprayed detainees who protested after the phones were shut off, less than a week after a federal judge ordered legal access should be expanded at the facility.

Environmentalists have spent almost a year trying to shutter Alligator Alcatraz in an effort to protect the Everglades. The center was built on a little-used airfield next to the environmentally protected wetlands of Big Cypress National Preserve. “People get out, there’s not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier quipped in a video posted on social media late last June. 

As I reported that month, environmental groups sued federal and state officials to halt the project. They argued that the construction had proceeded without an environmental review or opportunity for public comment, in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). They filed declarations in the case documenting how the camp could potentially affect the neighboring ecosystems and wildlife. Traffic to and from the detention site increases the likelihood of panthers being struck by vehicles, according to court filings, and light pollution could destroy the nighttime foraging abilities of bats in the area.

“Alligator Alcatraz will go down in history as a boondoggle to taxpayers and a flagrant assault on the Everglades.”

Florida and Trump officials argued that NEPA only applies to federal agencies, and that the facility was operated and funded by the state, which has spent at least $390 million to run it. But in August, a federal judge in Miami concluded that Alligator Alcatraz “exists for the sole purpose of detaining and deporting those subject to federal immigration enforcement” and ordered it to wind down operations within 60 days. The state of Florida appealed and the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit blocked the judge’s decision, allowing Alligator Alcatraz to continue to operate.

Alligator Alcatraz has disrupted the vulnerable ecosystems that surround it, Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, one of the plaintiffs in the environmental lawsuit, told me last month. The high-intensity lighting, for example, has affected about 2,000 acres of habitat for the Florida panther, an endangered species with a population of about 200. “The evidence of that harm is clear,” she said in a phone interview. 

The three-judge panel heard oral arguments in the case on April 7 and released a 38-page ruling late Tuesday afternoon. In the 2–1 decision, judges concluded that the environmentalists failed to prove Alligator Alcatraz was under federal control. Florida also hasn’t received any federal funding (though it is in the process of requesting reimbursement). “Federal authority is, at most, indirect: it is involved in the construction only insofar as it sets the terms for which the facility may be used for detention of aliens, but Florida officials dedicated its land to that use,” wrote Chief Judge William Pryor, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, in the majority opinion. 

Judge Nancy Abudu, a Biden appointee, wrote in her dissent that immigration is ultimately a federal obligation and the majority’s ruling is “just plain wrong.” “So long as Florida remains a willing participant in the federal government’s immigration detention scheme, it subjects itself to the federal government’s substantial control over the parties’ joint efforts,” she wrote. 

The case was sent back to the district court. “This fight is far from over,” Samples, the Friends of the Everglades director, said in a statement Tuesday night. “Alligator Alcatraz will go down in history as a boondoggle to taxpayers and a flagrant assault on the Everglades, and we look forward to returning to the District Court to advance our case to shut it down.”