Fall has finally settled over campus, bringing cooler weather, cozy fits and students trickling back after fall break. As midterms fade and routines reset, there’s no better time for new distractions.

From the chilling return of “Black Phone 2” to Netflix’s unnerving “Monsters: The Ed Gein Story” and Broadway’s revival of “The Outsiders,” here’s what’s keeping screens and stages buzzing this week.

Here is a list of distractions from Oct. 7 to Oct. 19.

Terror rings again in ‘Black Phone 2’

“Black Phone 2” picks up where the chilling original left off on Oct. 17, as the line between the living and the dead blurs once again. After surviving his terrifying encounter with the Grabber (Ethan Hawke), Finney Shaw (Mason Thomas) must confront new nightmares when mysterious calls start coming through the disconnected phone once more. With returning characters and new victims, the sequel promises more psychological horror and supernatural suspense that’ll keep audiences on edge.

“Black Phone 2” is in theaters now. Brianna Sorrell

‘Monsters: The Ed Gein Story’

Netflix recently released its new season of the horror anthology series “Monsters.”

Gein is a well-known serial killer who inspired films such as “Psycho,” “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” and “The Silence of the Lambs.” He performed gruesome acts on his victims, including exhuming corpses and fashioning trophies like furniture from bones and human skin. In “Monsters: The Ed Gein Story,” Tom Hollander takes on the chilling role, bringing realism to every scene. Expect the absolute worst — this season is graphic, unsettling and not for the faint of heart. 

The new season of the show “Monsters: The Ed Gein Story” is now on Netflix. Kalie Brooks

‘After the Hunt’ disappoints despite attempts to bring a dead script to life

Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt” explores gender, power dynamics and the disparity of voices through the relationships between its three leads — Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri. Themes like these require delicacy and intelligence to bring something worthwhile to the table. “After the Hunt” crumbles under those expectations.

The self-righteous script and messy plot hold this psychological thriller together. The cast does what it can with the dialogue, trying to elevate the borderline satirical wording into something meaningful. A story that perhaps should never have been adapted for film collapses in Guadagnino’s hands despite the cast’s best efforts. “After the Hunt” is in theaters now. Jesse Jones

Dan Howell and Phil Lester announce ‘Hard Launch’ podcast … and hard launch their relationship in the process

In case you were chronically online as a teenager, you might not have heard about ultra-famous YouTubers Dan Howell and Phil Lester announcing a podcast — and their highly rumored romantic relationship, too. 

“Hard Launch,” the podcast, is yet another creative avenue for the pair. Howell and Lester amassed millions of views on shared YouTube videos and channels, are the co-authors of multiple books, and have toured the world with those books. The podcast aims to be a place for sharing anecdotal stories and discussing what is going on in their lives, together. 

Because, again, unless you were drawing cat whiskers on your face with Sharpie and scrolling Tumblr when you were 13, you’re probably unfamiliar with the term ‘Phan,’ the ship name between the pair. Howell and Lester revealed their 16-year-long romantic relationship on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to massive support (and a fanbase that let out a sigh of relief, that, perhaps, they were right all along). Emma Burden

‘The Outsiders’ make their way to Broadway

S.E. Hinton’s “The Outsiders,” a longtime staple in high school English classes and the inspiration behind the hit 1983 film, is drawing attention on Broadway. Tennessee Performing Arts Center hosted the North American tour of “The Outsiders: A New Musical” Oct. 14-19, taking audiences to “Tulsa ‘67.” The show introduced a new stage projector, which added stunning illustrations to the production, and new actors to bring timeless characters to life. 

Each cast member showcased their unique skills to the characters they played, bringing the story to life. Nolan White, Tyler Jordan Wesley and Bonale Fambrini’s bold vocals brought emotions to the surface, leaving audience members holding tissues. White, who played Ponyboy, encouraged audiences to “really listen to the words … and think about the deeper meaning after it.” Working alongside these bold vocals was the energizing choreography of Rick and Jeff Kuperman. Executed beautifully by the entire cast, the movements added significant visuals to the songs. Jaydon Nget, ‘Two-Bit,’ said it’s all in the overalls. This show is one that will continue to remind generations to “Stay Gold.” Tucker Young