Grocery prices jumped 0.6% in August, fueling a sharper-than-expected jump in inflation last month.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP
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Frederic J. Brown/AFP
Inflation inched higher last month as Americans closed out the summer paying more for both groceries and gasoline.
Consumer prices in August were up 2.9% from a year ago, according to a report Thursday from the Labor Department. That’s a sharper annual increase than the previous month, when inflation was clocked at 2.7%.
Prices rose 0.4% between July and August, compared to a 0.2% increase the previous month. Prices for groceries jumped 0.6% while gasoline prices rose 1.9%.
Consumers also saw higher prices for new and used cars, clothing and airfares in August. Stripping out volatile food and energy prices, “core” inflation was 3.1% for the last 12 months.
The Federal Reserve faces a challenge
The continued rise in prices poses a challenge for the Federal Reserve as it weighs what to do about interest rates. Policymakers are widely expected to lower their benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point next week to prop up the sagging job market. But Fed officials may be wary about additional rate cuts in the face of stubborn inflation.
The August cost of living figures cover a month when President Trump raised tariffs on goods from many U.S. trading partners. The tariffs may have contributed to higher prices for imported goods such as coffee (up 3.6% last month), bananas (up 2.1%) and apparel (up 0.5%).
A federal appeals court ruled late last month that many of Trump’s tariffs are illegal, but they remain in effect pending a review by the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court has scheduled oral arguments for early November.
Hallmark star Jonathan Bennett gives fans a few glimpses of the more private moments of shooting on the island of Santorini in Greece for “The Groomsmen: Second Chances.” Blissful views are in the backdrop to some fun moments that will be shared with the romantic wedding trilogy set. That one viewing really puts across how magical the location is and the kind of contagious energy that is exuded by the whole production.
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Unable to curb his smile, Bennett waves at the camera from one of those gorgeous Santorini balconies, witnessed by the Mediterranean wearing just that exact shade of blue—really a shade you pretty much see only in travel catalogs. “Greece is one of the most beautiful places in the world,” he announces with barely restrained excitement. “And we are very, very lucky to be here making this movie for you guys.”
This behind-the-scenes video feels like a postcard from your by-far-happiest-among-friends. Bennett bemoans the fact that he had to wake “in the evening”; the views had been so lovely that they messed with his sense of time. He gestures to the scenery in unfeigned disbelief. “Look! It’s so gorgeous here.” Honestly, he ain’t wrong.
It’s not just the view. The video also captures the genuine goodwill on the cast’s part. During all the downtime, they constantly interrupt each other and have fun, much like old friends at a destination wedding. Bennett is heard jokingly about improvising lines, grinning, “Go look at it!” until everyone exploded into laughter.
The trilogy seems to be an excellent match for the loyal audience of Hallmark. The “Groomsmen” series set comprises three interlinked love stories and three weddings linked together by the same group of friends. Basically, it’s going to be a triple shot of romance with some Greek island views on the side.
Hardly anyone can stop counting until the next day. “I can’t wait till Saturday for part 2,” wrote a commenter, echoing most people’s anticipation. This is why Santorini becomes a character in itself: excitement.
Quite a few viewers commented on their plans to visit Greece, with one user stating they’ll be going “in about 3 weeks” and asking for suggestions. Another responded, “Just visited Santorini, and it was magical,” confirming that those movie scenes look even better in real life.
The location utterly moves many at some level on a deeper plane: “We spent two weeks in Greece on our Honeymoon,” said one fan. “Santorini is one of my favoritest places on Earth.” This connecting thread makes any BTS footage especially meaningful to viewers who have personally experienced the magic of the place.
Even those never going to Greece are getting bitten by the travel bug. “Makes me want to go to Greece,” admitted one commenter, while another just yelled, “I’ll find Love in Santorini”—apparently, this destination’s romancing transcends through the screen.
That runway party vibe makes it through the screen. “Love the behind the scenes almost as much as the actual movie,” one viewer said. “They’re just hilarious love all these guys.” The candidness is part of the essence of those Hallmark gems: The joy is effortless and genuine and contagious.
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In almost-a-bigger-way-than-ever promise by Jonathan Bennett to put the mood into another series of warm-hug movies, set against the tantalizing backdrops of Greece and the magically natural cast chemistry, “The Groomsmen: Second Chances” is sure to offer the very thing all eyes crave: escapism, good love, and lots of gorgeous moments to witness. The wedding vibes are off the charts with this one, and the viewers have RSVP’d “yay” down the cinematic Greek escape.
Bikini-clad girls sat sipping canned cocktails by the shallow end of a swimming pool. Their sunscreen glistened in the summer heat, leaving a coconut aroma in the air.
But these sunbathers weren’t here to tan. They were here for a junk journaling party.
Junk journaling, yet another marker of younger generations’ continued reversion to physical media, is a catch-all term for a craft practice that incorporates scrapbooking, collaging and journaling. While its charm lies in its refusal of precise definition, junk journaling generally consists of compiling scrap items and keepsakes into curated notebooks, which can also contain personal musings, ornamental stickers and other embellishments.
Nicolette Smith, left, and Elizabeth Nelson fill their journals at the Aug. 23 Junk Journal Club party in Glendale.
(Kayla Otero)
Junk journals read like the rowdy daughters of the 2000s-era scrapbooks. While sharing their memory-keeping mothers’ pasted pages and nostalgic ethos, these journals have broken family tradition with their messy aesthetic and preference for oft-discarded objects. Tags, receipts, ticket stubs, candy wrappers, even junk mail — they’re all gold for a junk journal.
“People say somebody’s trash is somebody’s treasure,” said Olivia Jones, 36, an Irvine resident and owner of small stationery business Pink Coast Studio. “That’s No. 1 for us junk journalers.”
In the last year, junk journaling has skyrocketed in popularity as influencers within the hobby‘s community have recruited new crafters on social media, especially from TikTok. At the same time, in-person junk journaling clubs have cropped up across the country, turning the traditionally solo pastime into a social scene.
L.A.’s Junk Journal Club, tagged “the original junk journal club,” served as a blueprint for many of those organizations. In late August, more than 50 crafters celebrated the club’s first birthday at a Glendale pool party. (More would have come, but the rented venue capped attendance.)
They sprawled around the rim of the backyard swimming pool and across the adjacent lawn, their animal-print blankets and beach towels crowded with paper scraps and glue sticks. Veteran journalers refilled matching Fujifilm photo printers, while newbies leafed through fresh sticker books. Once unpacked from their toolboxes and Tupperware, the supplies lay like a potluck spread, free for the taking.
“Whenever I buy stickers for myself, it’s kind of excessive,” said attendee Sophia Huang, 26, who drove from Anaheim to attend the meetup. “But I brought them to share as well.”
Huang’s journal pages, filled with receipts, photos and food packaging, chronicle her travels and daily adventures. Sometimes, she sits her friends down and presents the spreads, show-and-tell style, she said.
“It’s like real-life Instagram,” she said, laughing.
A spread from Sophia Huang’s junk journal, featuring mementos from a visit to the Orange County Museum of Art.
(Sophia Huang)
It was nearly 100 degrees outside in Glendale, but Huang and her fellow party attendees stayed at the Junk Journal Club soiree for hours anyway — blissfully ignoring the sweat melting the makeup off their smiling faces.
Club founder Nandi Owolo, 30, watched the revelry from a secluded lounge chair, sitting for the first time all day, and marveled at what her little club had become.
Owolo, an Echo Park resident, started Junk Journal Club just a few months after she herself got into the hobby last year. She began dabbling after a foot injury left her homebound, and she was thrilled to finally find a craft that felt accessible to her.
“I tried so many crafts. I can’t paint, can’t draw. I tried doing the embroidery hoops and the crocheting of little animals,” Owolo said. “I tried it all, failed at it every time.
“Junk journaling was the first time where it was like, I can be a part of that club,” she said, and it felt natural to her to extend that invitation to others.
Nandi Owolo founded Junk Journal Club in August 2024.
(Kayla Otero / Junk Journal Club)
Early on, Owolo envisioned her junk journaling club would consist of a dozen or so people gathering each month to journal together, and that was enough for her. But word got out, the demand was there, and before she knew it, Junk Journal Club was a full-blown business.
“I don’t think I ever saw it becoming what it is today,” Owolo said.
These days, the former entertainment executive collaborates with local artists and lifestyle brands to put on Junk Journal Club events, which draw attendees from as far as Fresno and regularly sell out within minutes of tickets dropping. Owolo charges around $35 on average per ticket, just enough to break even.
On top of its in-person programming, Junk Journal Club also boasts a Discord community, which Owolo calls its “virtual town square,” of nearly 1,700 members from across the globe. There, club affiliates swap journaling tips, share their own spreads and coordinate regional junk journaling meetups.
Junk Journal Club members agreed that L.A. is a notoriously difficult place to make meaningful adult friendships because people live so far apart and don’t interact much with those outside of their circles.
But attending club meetups has made befriending strangers easy, they said.
Izik Vu, 25, of Gardena has weekly junk journaling dates with other Junk Journal Club members who live in the South Bay. El Segundo native Adrianna Dreckmann, 25, who struggled to rebuild her social life in L.A. after attending college in the Midwest, went to an Oasis concert earlier this month with someone she met at a February club meetup.
“As you get older, you’re no longer in those isolated bubbles of college clubs and classes and stuff like that,” Dreckmann said. “So you kind of just have to make them yourself.”
Arine Dekermenjian, 40, the Santa Ana-based owner of Lalgan stickers and junk journal supplies, gained one of her closest friends through sponsoring a Junk Journal Club event.
“It was just that kind of instantaneous connection,” Dekermenjian said. “I feel like I have known her my entire life.”
As someone who historically had a small circle and struggled to make friends as an adult, Dekermenjian said, “I didn’t realize there’s this part of me that’s wanted this all along.”
Even for self-proclaimed introverts like Christa Hansen, 31, showing up to Junk Journal Club meetups alone is manageable, because everyone is so friendly.
“One thing that really helps people break the ice is a lot of times people are really generous with their supplies,” Hansen said. “So people are just sharing things, exchanging things, showing pages of their journal, and then suddenly it doesn’t feel very scary to talk to them.”
Christa Hansen’s junk journal includes three-dimensional elements that lend it the quality of a children’s pop-up book.
(Christa Hansen)
Hansen went solo to the August Junk Journal Club meetup, but within an hour, she was fangirling with a pair of roomates — Paige Schaeffer, 27, and Millie Jones, 27 — whom she’d just met, about the cult-favorite Nathalie Lété Sticker Book and prominent junk journaler Martina Calvi, dubbed the “Craft Queen” by her followers.
“Wait, I would freak out if I got to meet her,” Schaeffer said, gushing.
Calvi, 30, who lives in Sydney, would have laughed shyly. She never set out to be the world-famous junk-journaling influencer she’s become.
She was just a “crafty girl,” who had tired of outdated Y2K sticker designs and decided to take matters into her own hands, she said in a recent interview with The Times.
“I started out by making my own sticker sheet just at home, in my bedroom. And people wanted to buy it, but I never wanted to start a business,” Calvi said. She listed just one sticker sheet, then a few more, and wound up with an internationally beloved junk journal supplies brand, Martina’s Tiny Store, whose products are sold at Urban Outfitters locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“A lot of my influences are like Rookie Mag, Tumblr, Sofia Coppola, all of that. But really, it’s my childhood and my teenhood, especially that I draw inspiration from,” Martina Calvi said.
(Martina Calvi)
Last October, Calvi released her book “The Art of Memory Collecting,” which guides readers through 15 different craft projects to flex their creative muscles. The chapter on junk journaling resonated so much that just a year later she is set to release a book entirely dedicated to the hobby. (Hansen already preordered it.)
Calvi, who has finished 30-plus junk journals of her own, believes it’s human nature to collect tidbits and tokens to make meaning out of our everyday lives, that everyone has a box under the bed or a shelf in the closet spilling over with ephemera. But as for this “crafty renaissance,” she said she’s seeing among the younger generations, there are factors other than pure nostalgia at play.
“It’s definitely linked to what’s happening at the moment, I think, with the rise of AI and living in such a digital era,” Calvi said. “I think it’s only natural that we feel pulled in the other direction, almost like we’re finding comfort in the tangible and handmade — that’s familiar.”
On top of that, craft clubs are a low-cost way to socialize that doesn’t involve drinking, something a lot of young people are looking for in a time when living costs are high, she said.
Kalli LeVasseur, 33, one of Owolo’s earliest sources of junk journaling inspiration, saw a similar craving among her peers in Chicago for a sense of community that didn’t revolve around drinking or being glued to a screen. It’s a huge reason she and friend Cheyenne Livelsberger started Chicago’s Cool Kids Craft Club, she told The Times in a recent interview.
Another motive, LeVasseur said, was more personal. In 2023, LeVasseur lost her grandmother unexpectedly. Around the same time, her brother became very sick, and her father was diagnosed with cancer.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I don’t think I can handle one more thing,’” LeVasseur said, adding that she told herself, “I need something healthy to do as I’m moving through this grief.”
LeVasseur’s grandmother was a quilter, and her mother a scrapbooker, so crafting, to her, was in her “lineage.” But she struggled to commit to any particular practice, always feeling that they were too demanding or restrictive. Then she stumbled upon Calvi’s content.
“I Instacarted from Michaels one night the actual journal that I got for the first time, and literally from that moment, I haven’t stopped,” she said.
Kalli LeVasseur’s journal pages range from curated, sticker-laden spreads to what she called “junk dumps.”
(Kalli LeVasseur)
Through junk journaling, LeVasseur came back to herself, and got back into the world, she said. It’s counterintuitive, given crafting is generally understood to be a solitary, home-based activity. But to fill your journal, you have to go places.
“It feels so corny, but truly, it has changed my life,” LeVasseur said, her voice breaking.
“Obviously, there was the grief piece of it,” she said. “But in adulthood, especially now that I’m in my 30s and jobs are more demanding, having time to create and play with no pressure and making that part of my routine has genuinely made my life much happier.”
Owolo’s Junk Journal Club guestbook, which lay inconspicuously among the party favors at the August gathering in Glendale, was filled with many such expressions of joy and gratitude.
“Thank you so much for creating a space for us all to get creative and get out the house,” one signee wrote in the guestbook. “This is my second meetup, and it’s hard to leave without a smile on my face.”
Nandi Owolo encourages Junk Journal Club attendees to sign the guest book at her club meetups.
(Malia Mendez / Los Angeles Times)
“I loved sharing this space with you,” another echoed.
Sometimes Owolo reads the messages late at night in a Canter’s booth in Beverly Grove and just cries, she said.
Maybe she’d make a stop later that night. But for now, she had a party to throw.
It’s not so easy to save these days. With wages stagnant, taxes high and the cost of simply being alive in 2025 becoming more expensive, stashing away even small amounts of money for rainy day fun or passive income is maybe harder than it’s ever been.
Some are doing it though and doing it handsomely. One source has revealed that the most active investors in the UK (as a group) are saving £529 each month. Kudos to those folks on finding half a grand from every pay cheque.
But with that kind of savings rate, what could the end result be? Could it hit the million pound mark? Could it earn a meaty second income? Could it lead to a retirement age of 45? Let’s find some answers to those questions.
Outperforming
A sector that has dominated for growing wealth in recent years is technology companies, in particular American ones. As the world becomes more and more digital, I think any investor should consider owning US tech stockAmazon (NASDAQ: AZON) to build their nest egg.
The online marketplace has grown hundreds of times over in a couple of decades, but that’s not what anyone should expect from here on out. A hundredfold increase in the firm’s $2trn market cap would make it worth as much as all the world’s money and other financial assets ($130trn) and the world’s GDP ($110trn) put together!
That’s not to mention a price-to-earnings ratio of around 35. That’s very expensive, as far as stocks go. It could mean a long way to fall if things go pear-shaped.
But as the number one online store in many of the world’s biggest economies and with a money machine like AWS (Amazon Web Services) bringing in income, this might be another tech company that outperforms index funds in the future.
Questions
Let’s return to those questions of nest eggs, passive income and retirement. With a basket of high-quality stocks (perhaps including Amazon) helping to grow those savings, the returns look very fruitful indeed.
Is a million pounds possible? Yes. A £529 monthly saving grows to £1,091,244 given a 10% return rate for 30 years. Though lower return rates offer much lower end points. An 8% return grows to £745,123 and a 6% return to £515,517.
How about passive income? Well, a 4% drawdown rate gives £43,649 per year. Over £3,500 a month (tax-free in a Stocks and Shares ISA) sounds like a pretty good outcome. But inflation will mean that impressive income stream will have much less buying power than it would today.
Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice. Readers are responsible for carrying out their own due diligence and for obtaining professional advice before making any investment decisions.
How about early retirement? Replacing the day job with passive income is trickier to calculate as it depends on how old an investor might be.
But one of the great advantages to investing in stocks independently, rather than through a typical pension, is that there’s no age restriction on when the withdrawals can begin.
California, for instance, has moved to restrict AI-generated or manipulated content in political advertising, particularly during elections. Colorado has passed a law to prevent AI-driven discrimination in employment, housing, and finance, though its rollout has been postponed.
Earlier this year, tech giants, including Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon, had backed a moratorium on state-level AI rules. In March, OpenAI had even suggested to “create a sandbox for American start-ups and provide participating companies with liability protections, including preemption from state-based regulations that focus on frontier model security.”
That push lost momentum in July, when the Senate overwhelmingly rejected President Trump’s proposal for a 10-year ban on state AI regulation.
One of our favorite magnetic power banks is on sale for 42 percent off right now. The Anker 622 Magnetic Battery is down 42 percent to $28, which is almost as low as we’ve ever seen it. This steep discount is also available at Anker’s online store with a coupon code that the company provides. This 5,000mAh MagSafe-compatible charger with a foldable stand is a slim and portable battery that can keep your devices going on long days away from a charger.
Anker
Close to a record low price for this slim and portable MagSafe compatible charger.
Anker says the 622 Magnetic Battery can recharge a dead iPhone 16 or 16 Pro to just over 80 percent, and an iPhone 16 Pro Max to just over 60 percent. In our hands-on review of the portable charger, we liked the magnetic stand that folds out into a 30-degree angle. Users can rotate their phone to either portrait mode or landscape mode while charging.
The Anker 622 is an older charger, so it outputs a maximum of 7.5W when charging wirelessly. If you need to refill your battery faster than that, you might want to pick up one of the newer Qi2 power banks. Though a Qi2 power bank will, of course, cost more, some of our favorites are having great sales right now.
The Anker Ultra-Slim 10,000mAh battery pack can charge an iPhone 16 Pro to 50 percent in just 26 minutes, thanks to its Qi2-certified 15W of wireless charging. Right now it’s 25 percent off, priced at $60 down from $80. It’s got a bare-bones design, opting for a slim profile instead of a stand.
If you prefer one with a stand and you like the idea of a display that tells you how much charge your power bank has left, then check out the Anker 10,000mAh battery pack with smart display and foldable stand. In our rundown of the best power banks, this was our top pick for iPhones. Not only does this battery pack offer Qi2 wireless charging at 15W, it also offers 27W when using USB-C for fast charging.
Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and a leading conservative activist, was tragically killed at just 31 years old. On September 10, 2025, Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University during his “American Comeback Tour,” shocking both supporters and critics alike.
In the aftermath of his death, President Donald Trump paid tribute to his longtime ally. “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. He added, “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
With the news of his passing, attention has also turned to Kirk’s personal life, particularly his family. Below, Hollywood Life takes a closer look at Kirk’s wife and children.
Who Is Charlie Kirk’s Wife?
Kirk was married to Erika Frantzve, a podcaster, entrepreneur, and former beauty queen who won the title of Miss Arizona USA in 2012. The couple tied the knot in May 2021 after Kirk proposed in 2020. Erika is deeply involved in conservative circles herself, hosting Midweek Rise Up and running her own faith-based lifestyle brand. Together, she and Charlie often appeared at public events and shared their lives on social media, presenting a united front as one of the right’s most visible young couples.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 19: (from left to right) Sergio Gor, Donald Trump Jr., Charlie Kirk, and Erika Frantzve watch on stage as The Village People perform YMCA during the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball at the Salamander Hotel on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Sergio Gor; Donald Trump Jr.; Charlie Kirk; Erika Frantzve
Did Charlie Kirk Have Children?
Yes. Charlie and Erika were parents to two young children. Their first child, a daughter, was born in August 2022, followed by a son in May 2024.
Many Brits have fond memories of going to seaside towns in summer as a child and now take their own children to these places.
Tourists enjoy visiting seaside towns for their peaceful atmosphere, charming streets, amusement parks,food, like fish and chips, and the beach as the main attraction. There are a number of well known seaside resorts, including Brighton, Whitby, Blackpool, Margate and Bournemouth.
However, there are others that less visitors know about, such as Matlock Bath. This is a town in Derbyshire, recognised for its unique identity as a seaside resort in the Peak District without actually being near a sea.
It has classic coastal town features, such as fish and chip shops, arcades, ice cream parlours and the Heights of Abraham cable car all sit in a river valley, rather than by the sea. A North East resident, known on social media as Gabs Life, posted a video on TikTok giving her 233,000 followers a glimpse at Matlock Bath.
Speaking in the video, she said: “If you’re looking for a gorgeous day out in the UK, Matlock Bath is definitely the place to go. This little town in England is centrally located and is a great mid-point for day trips or weekend getaways.”
The TikToker described it as a “beautiful, picturesque seaside town that is not actually near the sea.” Gabs Life highlighted that Matlock Bath has “cute, little shops” and scenic walks.
She included a clip of people taking a stroll by the River Derwent, sharing that this is part of Lovers’ Walks, a series of footpaths along the riverside and up and over the cliffs. The seaside town fan added: “It’s just a really charming, chill place to explore, grab some food and slow down for a little bit. Matlock Bath is a hidden gem that you didn’t know you needed.”
The TikTok post has garnered thousands of viewes and more than 70 comments. Other users on the platform saw the appeal of the Derbyshire town. One said: “Feels like being at the seaside there!!”
Another added: “It’s nice and all shops and cafes [are] fair priced surprisingly.” A third chimed in: “One of three of my favourite places for a day out from Manchester. Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton…All absolutely beautiful.”
Someone else remarked: “Very good there always.” Others shared their thoughts with comments such as “how cute”, “I love it here”, “love Matlock Bath” and “next on my list.”
A different user gave a suggestion for visitors: “Tip for you all as parking is horrendous. Park in Matlock at the train station..catch a train into Matlock Bath. Cheap fare and much easier. Matlock born and bred.”
Matlock is a market town that neighbours Matlock Bath and according to Trainline, tickets for this journey start from £1.40 when you book in advance. The rail company notes that there are normally 18 trains per day travelling from Matlock to Matlock Bath.
Industrialist John Smedley developed the market town as a fashionable spa in the 19th century, using thermal springs for hydrotherapy. Matlock is where Hall Leys Park can be found, which has its own boating lake, tennis courts, a skateboard park and a children’s play area.
Matlock town centre consists of small, independent shops, a host of cafés, pubs and restaurants. Matlock’s convenient location, beautiful scenery, and strong transport connections make it a popular starting point for exploring Derbyshire and the Peak District.
Legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis has finally revealed why he decided to end his retirement after nearly a decade. Often regarded as the greatest living film actor, Daniel Day-Lewis has always been selective with his film projects and has stepped away from the spotlight multiple times. Following his 2017 role in Phantom Thread, the actor said he would be retiring from acting. Yet now, in 2025, eight years after his last movie, Day-Lewis is returning to the screen in Anemone, directed by his son, Roman Day-Lewis. The father-and-son duo also wrote the script together, with the actor now revealing it was the chance to work with his son that brought him back to the screen. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Day-Lewis said it was the chance to work with his son that motivated him to return.
“I had some residual sadness because I knew Ronan was going to go on to make films, and I was walking away from that. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could do something together and find a way of maybe containing it, so that it didn’t necessarily have to be something that required all the paraphernalia of a big production?”‘
While he seemed to have some reservations about returning to acting, and at one point only considered being the co-writer for Anemone, his son, Roman Day-Lewis, convinced him to return to acting, saying he wouldn’t direct the movie otherwise. Day-Lewis also talked in detail about the process of acting, and why he decided to step away the first time. While he always loved acting, there were other aspects that Day-Lewis was looking forward to leaving behind. However, it appears working with his son might have lit a new creative fire inside him. Day-Lewis said:
“It was just kind of a low-level fear, [an] anxiety about re-engaging with the business of filmmaking, The work was always something I loved. I never, ever stopped loving the work. But there were aspects of the way of life that went with it that I’d never come to terms with — from the day I started out to today. There’s something about that process that left me feeling hollowed out at the end of it. I mean, I was well acquainted with it. I understood that it was all part of the process, and that there would be a regeneration eventually. And it was only really in the last experience [making ‘Phantom Thread’] that I began to feel quite strongly that maybe there wouldn’t be that regeneration anymore. That I just probably should just keep away from it, because I didn’t have anything else to offer.
But looking back on it now — I would have done well to just keep my mouth shut, for sure. It just seems like such grandiose gibberish to talk about. I never intended to retire, really. I just stopped doing that particular type of work so I could do some other work. I never, you know… Apparently, I’ve been accused of retiring twice now. I never meant to retire from anything! I just wanted to work on something else for a while. … As I get older, it just takes me longer and longer to find my way back to the place where the furnace is burning again. But working with Ro, that furnace just lit up. And it was, from beginning to end, just pure joy to spend that time together with him.”
Daniel Day-Lewis’s History of Walking Away From Acting, and Why He Always Comes Back
Focus Features
Daniel Day-Lewis’s first round of “retirement” came in 1997 following the release of The Boxer. He moved to Florence, Italy, where he pursued his passion for woodworking and became intrigued by the craft of shoe-making. He returned to the screen in 2002 for Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. He followed that up with a string of performances, notably his two Academy Award-winning performances in There Will Be Blood and Lincoln, and also two films that generated mixed to negative responses, The Ballad of Jack and Rose and Nine. Many thought his performance in Phantom Thread, which reunited him with There Will Be Blood director Paul Thomas Anderson, was a fitting final film for the actor.
Anemone is set to debut at the New York Film Festival on Sept. 28, 2025, before its limited release on October 3, followed by a wider release on October 10. Day-Lewis is already generating awards buzz for his role in Anemone, despite nobody having seen the film. Daniel Day-Lewis has been nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards six times, and won three for his performance in My Left Foot, There Will be Blood, and Lincoln. He holds the record for most wins by a male actor.
Daniel Day-Lewis’s choice to return to acting to work with his son is certainly a sweet gesture. Yet it is film fans that will be receiving the awards, as in the worst-case scenario, Day-Lewis is the best part of a forgettable film like Nine, and at best, he delivers an all-time iconic cinematic performance like in There Will Be Blood. The idea of seeing a new Daniel Day-Lewis movie seemed impossible just three years ago, yet now it is only weeks away. Hopefully, he sticks around for more.
Video game adaptations are getting more and more popular in recent times. Among the most well-known of such projects is the HBO series The Last of Us, which went on to receive critical acclaim. After this well-received video game adaptation TV series also came Fallout, Prime Video’s attempt at such a hit.
On the theatrical side, this year is a particularly big one for video game adaptations. This includes the family-friendly film Minecraft, which did incredibly well upon its release this past April. That was followed by the horror game adaptation Until Dawn, which also put forth a decent box office showing.
The year and next will continue with anticipated video game titles, including Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and Mortal Kombat II in 2026. With these movies, studios and creators hope to ride the wave of successful game adaptation content.
With this current trend has also come the announcement of many new video game movies. This includes a film set in the world of Hideo Kojima’s beloved Death Stranding, as well as a more recently announced adaptation of The Medium. Now, one of the other high-profile adaptations has gotten an update.
The BioShock Movie Gets A Key Update
The BioShock movie adaptation has now gotten updates about its story and filming. BioShock is a first-person shooter game that was originally released in 2007. Taking place mostly underwater, the game sees players play as Jack, the lone survivor of a plane crash into the Atlantic Ocean in 1960.
The game became successful and beloved, and a BioShock movie adaptation was announced by Netflix in 2022. The film is set to be directed by Hunger Games franchise creative Francis Lawrence, who recently directed The Long Walk. There were multiple attempts to make an adaptation, but this is the one to finally gain steam.
As per TheDirect, the BioShock movie has now gotten some key updates. First, producer Roy Lee confirmed a key element of BioShock‘s story. The producer confirmed that the film will be based on the first BioShock game. Check out the full quote below:
The Direct: I am so, so excited. Is there anything you could tease about that, that story and your approach to that movie?
Lee: …Netflix wants us to keep everything under wraps. But it’s definitely going to be based on the first ‘BioShock’ game…
Lee also helped situate the movie in. terms of production timeline. The producer said that BioShock would be the next movie that director Lawrence makes after wrapping production on The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. That full quote can be found below:
Well, ‘The Long Walk’ became a reality because ‘BioShock’ was delayed for a little bit where we had to do some more script work. And so as the script work is being done, we shot ‘The Long Walk,’ and he was already committed to doing the next ‘Hunger Games’ movie. And so it’s just waiting for him whenever the ‘Hunger Games’ is completed, and the script is just being worked on right now.
What This Means For BioShock
First-person image of a machine gun being fired at a mechanical Big Daddy from BioShock.
Right now, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set for a November 20, 2026 release date. If Lawrence is not taking on BioShock until after he wraps up his work on The Hunger Games, this means the video game adaptation will have to release some time after November 2026.
Story-wise, Lee sheds light on a previously unconfirmed aspect of the movie adaptation. There was some belief that BioShock may be merely set in the world of the game rather than directly adapt its storyline. This recent quote confirms that is not the case, and rather, the first game will be brought to the big screen by this video game adaptation.
