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School is starting back up, the days are getting shorter, and unfortunately that means summer is just about in the rearview mirror. But before we officially say goodbye to Summer 2026, we've got some important business to take care of. It's time to rank the summer blockbusters. This was a BIG summer for movies, especially for the kinds of franchises we love here at New Meta. Superheroes, Star Wars, Mortal Kombat, Masters of the Universe, Pixar, horror and one gigantic Christopher Nolan epic all battled for our attention. So which ones delivered? Here are the official New Meta Summer Movie Rankings. 🥇 #1 – Spider-Man: Brand New Day Yeah...this one wasn't particularly close. Tom Holland's Spider-Man returned with a movie that somehow managed to make Spider-Man feel huge again while taking Peter Parker into a new chapter. Brand New Day was everything we wanted from a summer blockbuster: big action, great characters, surprises and plenty of moments that had us immediately thinking about what figures we need on the shelf. Summer MVP: Spider-Man 🥈 #2 – The Odyssey Christopher Nolan making a massive adaptation of one of the oldest adventure stories ever written was always going to be interesting. Turns out it was also awesome. The Odyssey brought monsters, mythology, enormous set pieces and Nolan's filmmaking style together into one of the most ambitious movies of the summer. Not necessarily the movie with the most obvious action-figure tie-ins... …but give us some 1/12 scale Greek warriors and mythological monsters and we'll talk. 🥉 #3 – Masters of the Universe By the power of Grayskull! There may not have been another movie this summer that had more riding on it for toy collectors. He-Man finally returned to theaters, bringing Eternia, Skeletor and one of the most iconic toy properties of all time back to the big screen. Seeing Masters of the Universe get another shot at becoming a major movie franchise was worth celebrating all by itself. #4 – Toy Story 5 You really thought we weren't going to talk about a movie literally about toys? Woody, Buzz and company returned yet again, and Pixar proved there's apparently still some gas left in the tank. Whether we actually needed a fifth Toy Story movie is another conversation. But if you're going to bring these characters back, at least give us another entertaining trip with some of the most famous toys in movie history. #5 – Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu Mando and Grogu finally made the jump from Disney+ to the big screen. And while it might not have completely reinvented Star Wars, seeing these characters in a theater just felt right. More importantly, Star Wars continues to accomplish something few franchises can: Make us want another figure of a character we already own six versions of. Grogu Toy Count: Somehow still not enough. #6 – Evil Dead Burn Every summer blockbuster list needs something for the horror fans, and Evil Dead Burn delivered. The Evil Dead franchise continues to be one of horror's strangest success stories, somehow reinventing itself over and over without completely losing what made the originals so much fun. It's brutal, ridiculous and exactly the kind of movie Evil Dead fans signed up for. Definitely not the movie we'd recommend watching with the kids. Definitely one we're talking about afterward. #7 – Mortal Kombat II Was it high art? No. Did we need it to be? Absolutely not. Mortal Kombat II understood the assignment. Give us fighters. Give us ridiculous action. Give us fatalities. And let these characters beat the hell out of each other for two hours. Sometimes that's exactly what you want from a summer movie. FINISH HIM. #8 – Supergirl This one is probably going to get us in trouble. Supergirl wasn't a bad movie. In fact, there was plenty here that we liked. The problem may have simply been expectations. After what we considered the masterpiece that was Superman last year, the bar for the next chapter of the DC Universe was ridiculously high. Fair or not, it was almost impossible to watch Supergirl without comparing the two. And while Supergirl gave us plenty to enjoy, it never quite reached the heights we were hoping for after Superman left us so excited about where this universe was headed. Not bad. Just the victim of some very, very high expectations.

Pop culture has always been at its best when it reflects the wide variety of people who love it. Over the years, comics, movies, television, video games, and science fiction have introduced memorable LGBTQ+ heroes, villains, and antiheroes whose stories have inspired fans around the world. Here's our countdown of ten of the most iconic LGBTQ+ characters in pop culture. 10. Ellie (The Last of Us) Long before HBO's acclaimed adaptation, Ellie became one of gaming's most beloved protagonists. Her relationship with Riley in Left Behind and later with Dina helped establish one of gaming's most authentic LGBTQ+ storylines. Ellie is courageous, flawed, and fiercely determined, making her one of modern gaming's defining heroes. 9. Mystique (Marvel) While Mystique's sexuality has evolved through decades of storytelling, she's long been portrayed as bisexual and has one of Marvel's most enduring same-sex relationships with Destiny. Together, they've become one of the publisher's most influential couples and helped pave the way for more LGBTQ+ representation in superhero comics. 8. Harley Quinn (DC) Harley Quinn's relationship with Poison Ivy has become one of DC's most celebrated romances. Whether in comics, animation, or television, Harley's journey from chaotic villain to antihero has resonated with fans, while her romance with Ivy has become a cornerstone of modern DC storytelling. 7. Deadpool (Marvel) The Merc with a Mouth has often been described as pansexual by creator and writers alike. While his relationships are usually played with humor, Deadpool's openness and unpredictability have made him one of Marvel's most recognizable LGBTQ+ characters. 6. Captain Jack Harkness (Doctor Who / Torchwood) One of science fiction's most charismatic adventurers, Captain Jack never let gender or species define who he loved. His confidence, humor, and heroism helped make him a groundbreaking LGBTQ+ character on television. 5. Poison Ivy (DC) Brilliant, dangerous, and fiercely protective of the natural world, Poison Ivy has evolved into far more than a Batman villain. Her relationship with Harley Quinn has become one of comics' most beloved romances and has helped redefine both characters for a new generation. 4. Iceman (Marvel) As one of the original X-Men, Bobby Drake's coming-out story decades into his publication history sparked plenty of conversation. Since then, Iceman has become one of Marvel's flagship LGBTQ+ superheroes while continuing to serve as a core member of the X-Men. 3. Korra (The Legend of Korra) The ending of The Legend of Korra changed animated television forever. Korra and Asami's relationship broke new ground for mainstream animation and helped pave the way for greater LGBTQ+ representation in family-friendly storytelling. 2. Wiccan (Marvel) Billy Kaplan has become one of Marvel's most powerful young heroes. Alongside his husband Hulkling, Wiccan represents one of the strongest and healthiest superhero relationships in comics. Their marriage stands as a milestone for LGBTQ+ representation in Marvel's universe. 1. Northstar (Marvel) When discussing LGBTQ+ superheroes, it's impossible not to recognize Northstar. As one of the first openly gay superheroes from a major comic publisher, and the first to headline a same-sex wedding in mainstream superhero comics, Northstar helped open doors for countless characters who followed. His influence extends far beyond the pages of the X-Men, making him one of the most important LGBTQ+ figures in comic book history.

The Most Expensive Star Wars Action Figures Ever Sold (2026 Edition) May the 4th is all about celebrating the galaxy far, far away—but for some collectors, it’s also about owning a piece of history… at a price that rivals a down payment on a house. From prototype figures never meant to hit shelves to ultra-rare packaging variants, the Star Wars collecting world has seen some absolutely insane sales. Let’s break down the most expensive Star Wars action figures ever sold as of now—and why they command these kinds of prices. 1. 1979 Kenner Rocket-Firing Boba Fett (Prototype) 💵 Sold for: ~$1.3 MILLION This is the holy grail. Originally designed with a firing rocket backpack, this Boba Fett figure was pulled before release due to safety concerns. Only a handful of prototypes survived—and one of them shattered records with a sale around $1.3 million. 👉 Why it’s so valuable: Never officially released Extremely limited prototypes (under 100 known) Iconic character + infamous recall story 2. Boba Fett Prototype (Earlier Record Sales) 💵 Sold for: $525,000+ Before the million-dollar sale, another rocket-firing Boba Fett prototype hit over $500K at auction. 👉 Same story, same hype—just slightly different condition and provenance. 3. Darth Vader “Double Telescoping” (1978) 💵 Value: $130,000+ One of the earliest Darth Vader figures ever made featured a rare double-telescoping lightsaber—a design quickly scrapped to cut costs. 👉 Why collectors chase it: Extremely short production run Early “12-back” packaging One of the first figures ever released 4. Vinyl Cape Jawa (1978) 💵 Value: ~$30,000 This tiny robed scavenger might not look like much—but early versions shipped with a vinyl cape instead of cloth, making them incredibly rare today. 👉 What makes it special: Production change almost immediately Few originals survived in mint condition 5. Carded Luke Skywalker (High-Grade) 💵 Sold for: $80,000+ A pristine, graded Luke Skywalker figure on original packaging can fetch massive prices—especially with high AFA grades. 👉 Lesson here: condition is everything. 6. Yak Face (Power of the Force Line) 💵 Value: $4,000–$7,000 Yak Face was barely released in the U.S., making it one of the hardest figures to find—especially carded with the collector coin. What Actually Drives These Prices? It’s not just “old toy = expensive.” The biggest value drivers are: 1. Rarity Prototype > limited run > retail release 2. Condition Graded, unopened, and mint packaging can multiply value by 10x+ 3. Production Errors / Changes Vinyl cape Jawas, telescoping sabers—mistakes = money 4. Character Popularity Let’s be honest—Boba Fett carries this list 5. Story Cancelled toys, recalls, and prototypes create legend status Why This Matters for Collectors Today Most collectors aren’t dropping $1.3M on a figure—but the same principles still apply: Today’s limited releases = tomorrow’s grails Packaging matters more than people think Variants and short runs are always worth watching That Black Series figure sitting on your shelf?If it’s rare enough… it might be part of a future list like this.