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The most iconic food in every state

Nashville hot chicken
Nashville hot chicken.
  • Every state has its own iconic dish, whether it was invented or popularized there.
  • Maine and Connecticut are both famous for their lobster rolls, though they prepare them differently.
  • Other states have famous sandwiches, stews, or dips.

Every state has an iconic food it’s known for, from Illinois’ famous deep-dish pizza to the Colorado-born “Fool’s Gold” sandwich.

Some famous foods, like Nashville hot chicken, are synonymous with their state and have even become the signature dish of famous institutions, as is the case with hot chicken at Hattie B’s.

Local foods can also have an impact far beyond their origin states, sparking nationwide trends.

KFC and Dave’s Hot Chicken have added iterations of Tennessee’s most famous local dish to their menus over the years, and mentions of “Nashville hot chicken” on menus have increased 65.7% between 2018 and 2023, CNBC reported, citing data from food service consulting company Technomic.

Here’s the most famous local dish from every state.

ALABAMA: Chicken with white barbecue sauce
chicken with white bbq sauce on a plate
Chicken with white barbecue sauce.

Alabama’s famous white barbecue sauce, which is made with mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper, is described as both creamy and tangy.

The sauce, which is said to have been invented in the 1920s by Bob Gibson of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, often comes served on a sandwich or with grilled or fried chicken.

ALASKA: Smoked salmon
a person wearing gloves handling slices of smoked salmon
Smoked salmon.

Alaska is famous for its salmon, although whether locals prefer it smoked, grilled, or pan-seared is a matter of debate.

For a classic Alaskan dish, pairing salmon with vegetables or a bagel and cream cheese is a good way to enjoy the state’s most famous fish.

ARIZONA: Chimichangas
Chimichangas on a plate with rice and sauce
Chimichangas.

You might not know that chimichangas were invented in Arizona.

As Tucson Foodie reported, two different restaurants in Tucson claim they originated the dish, which features a large meat burrito filled with vegetables and spices, deep-fried, and topped with cheese and sauce.

ARKANSAS: Fried pickles
Fried pickle chips in a white bowl
Fried pickles.

Fans of fried pickles have Arkansas to thank for the iconic snack. The first fried dill pickles ever sold anywhere first appeared on the menu of the Duchess Drive-In in Atkins, Arkansas, in the summer of 1963, Encyclopedia of Arkansas reported.

CALIFORNIA: Avocado toast
a person cutting avocado toast with egg with a fork and knife
Avocado toast.

California is famous for its avocados, so it should come as no surprise that avocado toast is one of the most popular and famous local dishes in the Golden State. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that California residents have been making avocado toast for more than 130 years.

An issue of The Daily Alta California from 1885 lists a recipe that suggests spreading avocado “on slices of bread, and season with salt and pepper.”

COLORADO: The “Fool’s Gold” sandwich
Fool's Gold peanut butter sandwiches on a plate
“Fool’s Gold” sandwiches.

The first “Fool’s Gold” sandwich, a sourdough loaf stuffed with peanut butter, blueberry jam, and a pound of bacon, was invented by the now-closed Colorado Mine Company, a restaurant in Denver.

The sandwich shot to fame after Elvis Presley tried the sandwich and loved it so much, he took his private jet to Denver and back in one night just to order one.

CONNECTICUT: Warm lobster rolls
lobster roll on a plate with melted butter on the side
Lobster roll.

Culture Trip reported that the first documented lobster roll was served at a Milford, Connecticut, restaurant named Perry’s in 1929.

However, while you might be familiar with New-England style or Maine lobster rolls, the folks down in Connecticut do things a little differently. In a Connecticut-style lobster roll, a split bun is stuffed with warm lobster meat and just a drizzle of melted butter.

DELAWARE: Peach pie
Peach pie on a blue and white plate with a fork
Peach pie.

Delaware’s official state dessert is peach pie, and peaches are an integral part of the state’s agricultural industry.

According to the Delaware government website, “peach farming is an important part of Delaware’s agricultural heritage, as the peach was introduced to Delaware in Colonial times and expanded as an industry in the nineteenth century.”

At its peak in 1875, the state shipped six million baskets of peaches to market.

FLORIDA: Cuban sandwiches
Cuban sandwich halves stacked on top of each other on a white plate
Cuban Sandwich.

While these sandwiches can, of course, be traced back to Cuba, what we know now as a “Cuban sandwich” is largely thanks to Cuban immigrants in Tampa, Florida. Thrillist reported that the sandwiches made in Cuba and the United States had a few key differences in ingredients.

The Florida version, which used salami imported from Italy in some cases, became known as a “Cuban sandwich.”

GEORGIA: Brunswick stew
Brunswick stew in a pot
Brunswick stew.

Both Brunswick County, Virginia, and Brunswick, Georgia, lay claim to inventing Brunswick stew.

However, a 25-gallon iron pot on top of a town monument in Brunswick, Georgia, reads that the very first Brunswick stew was cooked inside it way back in 1898.

HAWAII: Kālua pork
Kalua pork nachos on a white plate with salsa and sour cream on the side
Kalua pork nachos.

Kālua pork, which is smoked, shredded pork shoulder sometimes mixed with cabbage, is one of Hawaii’s most famous local dishes — in Hawaiian, kālua translates as “to cook in an underground oven.”

IDAHO: Finger steaks
fried beef finger stakes on a white plate with sauce
Finger steaks.

Many have traced the origin of finger steaks — fried pieces of beef — back to Milo’s Torch Lounge in Boise. Idaho Beef says that chef Milo Bybee invented the dish in 1957 as a way to make use of the restaurant’s leftover tenderloin.

ILLINOIS: Deep-dish pizza
Giordanos chicago deep dish pizza with a serving spatula
Giordano’s.

While you might assume that all pizza originates in Italy, deep-dish pizza is actually American.

The BBC reported that restaurant owners Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo introduced their creation, an Italian-American pizza they called deep-dish, at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago’s Near North Side neighborhood in 1943.

INDIANA: Pork tenderloin sandwiches
pork tenderloin sandwich with tomato and lettuce on a white plate
A Hoosier sandwich.

Pork tenderloin sandwiches, also called “Hoosier sandwiches,” can be traced back to Nick Freienstein, a Huntington, Indiana, native-born to German parents. Eater reported the dish was originally inspired by wiener schnitzel, a Viennese-style veal dish that is breaded and pan-fried.

In 1904, Freienstein began selling sandwiches and burgers out of a food cart. While veal was hard to come by in his hometown, pork was readily available. After he added pickles and onions to his fried pork tenderloin sandwich, Freienstein’s cart took off. He is credited with creating the first “Hoosier sandwich.”

IOWA: Fried catfish
fried catfish and fries in red baskets
Fried catfish and fries.

While fried catfish is a popular dish throughout the South, Iowans are also fond of the dish.

KANSAS: Loose meat sandwiches
loose meat sandwich with pickles and chips
Loose meat sandwiches.

A cross between a sloppy joe and a cheeseburger, loose meat sandwiches are a favorite among Kansas locals. The Nu-Way Cafe, a Wichita-based chain of restaurants, is famous for its loose meat sandwiches.

In other parts of the county, they are known as tavern sandwiches or Maid-Rites, named after the Iowa chain.

KENTUCKY: Beer cheese
Beer cheese dip in a sauce pan
Beer cheese.

According to local lore, beer cheese was invented by Chef Joe Allman for his cousin Johnnie, the owner of the Driftwood Inn near Winchester, Kentucky. The Downtown Winchester Beer Cheese Festival reported that the dish was originally created by Allman to entice customers to order more beer with their meals.

LOUISIANA: Gumbo
Gumbo in a large pot on a stove
Chicken and sausage gumbo.

Gumbo, a traditional stew consisting primarily of a strong-flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and vegetables, is the official state cuisine of Louisiana.

Its roots have been traced back to the late 1800s, and many food historians believe it to have evolved from ki ngombo, an okra-based stew brought over by slaves to colonial Louisiana. 

MAINE: Lobster rolls
lobster roll in red basket with waterfront harbor in the background
Maine lobster roll with coleslaw and french fries on a waterfront harbor in Maine.

Maine is famous for its lobster rolls, largely due to the fact lobster is one of Maine’s most profitable exports.

However, while the first lobster roll can be traced back to Connecticut, Maine-style lobster rolls often consist of cold lobster meat, rather than warm meat, dressed with mayonnaise and served in a toasted bun.

MARYLAND: Crab cakes
Crab cakes with lemon wedges on a white plate
Crab cakes.

Crab cakes can likely be traced back to Native American cooking in the Chesapeake Bay region of the United States.

However, the first official recipe for crab cakes appeared in a cookbook written by Crosby Gaige in the 1930s, under the name “Maryland Crab Cakes,” Baltimore Magazine reported.

MASSACHUSETTS: New England-style clam chowder
clam chowder in a bread bowl
Clam chowder in a bread bowl from Quincy Market in Boston, Massachusetts.

Clam chowder has roots all over the Northeast but New England-style clam chowder is said to have been first served in Boston at Ye Olde Union Oyster House in 1836, Eater reported.

MICHIGAN: Wet burritos
wet burrito covered in sour cream and salsa on a plate
A wet burrito.

Wet burritos, which come covered in red chile sauce and tons of cheese, are said to have been created at the Beltline Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the restaurant’s website says. 

MINNESOTA: Corn dogs
corn dogs on a plate with bite taken out of one of them
Corn dogs.

While some say corn dogs, then called “corny dogs,” were introduced at the State Fair of Texas between 1938 and 1942, Pronto Pup vendors at the Minnesota State Fair claim to have invented the first breaded-and-fried hot dog in 1942, Eater reported.

MISSISSIPPI: Mississippi mud pie
Mississippi mud pie with chocolate crust on a white plate
Mississippi mud pie.

Eater reported that Mississippi mud pie, a dessert made with pudding, cake, biscuits, ice cream, whipped cream, marshmallows, and some kind of liqueur like Kahlua or amaretto, was reportedly invented in the Vicksburg-Natchez area outside Jackson, Mississippi.

MISSOURI: Barbecue
Joe's Kansas City Barbecue ribs, pickles, and sides on a tray
Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue.

Henry Perry is known as the “father of Kansas City barbecue” — he began selling slow-smoked meats wrapped in newspaper for 25 cents in the Garment District of Kansas City, across the Missouri border, in the early 1900s.

He later opened Kansas City’s first official barbecue restaurant in an old trolley barn. Perry loved barbecue so much that, on his death certificate, his occupation was listed as “barbecue man.”

MONTANA: Meat pie
meat pie cut open with filling showing, chips, and peas
Meat pie.

While meat pies originate from New Zealand and parts of Europe, they’re also really popular in Montana.

Oftentimes called “pasties,” the meat pies grew in popularity due to the large population of Irish miners living in Butte, Montana, who found them easy to transport to work each day.

NEBRASKA: Reuben sandwiches
reuben sandwich in newspaper with pickle and pepper
Reuben sandwich.

The classic Reuben sandwich, made with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing, and served on rye bread, was supposedly invented by an Omaha, Nebraska, grocer in 1925, The Nebraska State Historical Society reported. 

NEVADA: Shrimp cocktail
Shrimp cocktail in a white bowl with cocktail sauce and ice
Shrimp cocktail.

Although the shrimp cocktail may not have been invented in Nevada or even the United States, Las Vegas residents have certainly claimed it as their own.

The Golden Gate Hotel & Casino says that in 1959, it introduced Las Vegas to its famous, world-recognized 50-cent shrimp cocktail. Ever since, visitors have enjoyed partaking in the city’s signature dish.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Pancakes with maple syrup
pancakes being drizzled with maple syrup
Pancakes with maple syrup.

While Vermont produces more maple syrup than any other state, New Hampshire is also known for its syrup production. True Granite State natives are known to douse their pancakes in 100% New Hampshire syrup.

NEW JERSEY: Disco fries
disco fries with sauce onions and toppings
Disco fries.

Disco fries, which are french fries smothered in gravy, mozzarella, and other toppings, originate from the Garden State.

Local legend has it that the late-night dish got its name from the hoards of people pouring into New Jersey diners after a long night of dancing, in search of the perfect snack.

NEW MEXICO: Green chile cheeseburgers
burger topped with bacon, cheese, and green chile
Green chile cheeseburger.

Green chiles are the state’s signature vegetable, so it comes as no surprise that New Mexico natives would want to add the ingredient to their burgers.

NEW YORK: Pizza
New york pizza being served in a restaurant
New York pizza.

New York is undeniably famous for its pizza, from cheap and cheerful $1 slices to more gourmet versions. New York City is also home to the nation’s first pizzeria, Lombardi’s, which opened in Little Italy in 1905. 

NORTH CAROLINA: Krispy Kreme donuts
krispy kreme donuts and a paper bag
Krispy Kreme donuts.

Krispy Kreme began operating in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on July 13, 1937. At the time, the owner Vernon Rudolph was only selling his donuts to local grocery stores.

However, after people passing by the bakery asked about the heavenly scent, he cut a hole in an outside wall and began selling glazed donuts to people on the sidewalk.

NORTH DAKOTA: Walleye
fried walleye with fries and tartar sauce on a plate
Fried walleye.

North Dakota is famous for its walleye, and the state is known not only for selling the fried fish on its own but also in sandwiches.

OHIO: Cincinnati-style chili
Cincinnati-style chili with spaghetti cheese and onions
Cincinnati-style chili.

What’s Cooking America reported that Cincinnati prides itself on being the chili capital of the United States with more than 180 chili parlors. Thinner in consistency and commonly served over pasta, the dish is slightly different from traditional chili.

Cincinnati-style chili is also often topped with chopped onions, shredded cheese, beans, and crushed oyster crackers. 

OKLAHOMA: Chicken-fried steak
Chicken-fried steak with mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts and white gravy on top
Chicken-fried steak.

Chicken-fried steak often comes served with mashed potato and gravy and is popular all over the South.

However, one state loves the dish so much that it decided to make it official. In 1988, Oklahomans named chicken-fried steak one of their state meals, the Oklahoma Historical Society reported.

OREGON: Clams
pasta with clams seafood
Clams.

Clamming is a popular activity in Oregon, where shellfish is abundant. So, it makes perfect sense that one of the most famous dishes from Oregon would involve clams.

PENNSYLVANIA: Philly cheesesteak
philly cheesesteak sandwich on a roll
Philly cheesesteak.

The state’s most famous food by far is the classic Philly cheesesteak, which is believed to have been invented by a hot dog vendor in 1930, Visit Philadelphia reported. 

The sandwich contains thinly cut steak handsomely topped with cheese on a roll, plus sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms, mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, pepper, or ketchup.

RHODE ISLAND: Stuffed clams
baked stuffed clams on a wood background
Stuffed clams.

Also called stuffed Quahogs or stuffies, stuffed clams are the unofficial dish of Rhode Island.

To make them, you’ll just need to mix chopped clam meat, breadcrumbs, herbs, diced onion, bell pepper, and celery together, then bake the mixture inside a clamshell.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Shrimp and grits
Shrimp and grits on a white plate
Shrimp and grits.

While the exact origin of shrimp and grits is largely unknown, it’s thought that the dish might have stemmed from Charleston, South Carolina, or the larger Carolina region.

Today, shrimp and grits is a favorite dish in South Carolina.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Navajo tacos
Navajo tacos with beans lettuce tomato and cheese
Navajo tacos.

Instead of traditional taco shells, those in South Dakota use frybread, which is flattened dough cooked in hot oil until puffy and crispy, to make Navajo tacos.

However, while the dish is delicious, it also has a controversial history. Native Americans living in South Dakota invented the dish, but it was less about making a tasty meal and more about survival. 

Lisa Ironcloud, who works with food sovereignty programs, told Argus Leader that frybread was invented because Native Americans could make it using rationed ingredients like yeast and because it “filled their stomachs.”

TENNESSEE: Nashville hot chicken
Nashville hot chicken with pickles and coleslaw on white bread
Nashville hot chicken.

Nashville hot chicken, which is famous for being extremely spicy, also has quite a spicy history. Nashville hot chicken was originally invented when Thornton Prince, the owner of Prince’s Hot Chicken where legend says hot chicken was first created, came home to find his lover upset.

To get revenge, she served him chicken covered in extra-hot spices. However, Prince liked the dish so much that he decided to open a restaurant and serve a version of it to local people in Nashville.

TEXAS: Barbecue
a person flipping barbecue ribs on a grill with smoke coming off it
A person cooking barbecue.

Texas is practically synonymous with barbecue. However, while other states have their own way of barbecuing, Texas-style barbecue focuses on beef as the main course.

UTAH: Pastrami burgers
pastrami burger with cheese on bun
Pastrami burgers.

The New York Times reported that pastrami burgers were popularized by Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City, and are still one of the city’s most famous foods. The burgers come topped with a Thousand Island-style sauce as well as tomatoes, shaved lettuce, and onions, but can also come served with cheese or other toppings.

VERMONT: Vermont corn chowder
corn chowder in a bowl with a spoon
Corn chowder.

Vermont corn chowder is a state-favorite dish made with a milk-based broth, corn, and other vegetables like onions, potatoes, and cabbage, thickened with flour or Vermont cheddar cheese. Bacon is also commonly added to the dish.

VIRGINIA: Oysters
a man using a knife shucking oyster
A man shucking an oyster.

Virginia’s government website claims that “Virginia is for Oyster Lovers,” and there’s a reason. Not only is Virginia home to multiple oyster festivals but Virginia oysters can be harvested in eight different regions of the state.

WASHINGTON: Fish and chips
fried fish and chips
Fish and chips.

While fish and chips are often thought of as a quintessentially British dish, the state of Washington is equally famous for its flaky, fried fish and chips.

WEST VIRGINIA: Biscuits and gravy
biscuits with sausage gravy
Biscuits and gravy.

The roots of biscuits and gravy can be traced back to the Southern Appalachian region of the United States in the late 1800s. The Washington Post reported that the earliest version of this Southern food used sausage gravy, which was also called “sawmill gravy” at the time.

Historians believe that the food was hearty enough to power sawmill workers through their long days lifting heavy logs, and also thick and flavorful enough to make biscuits of that era “more palatable.”

WISCONSIN: Fried cheese curds
Fried cheese curds with tomato sauce
Fried cheese curds.

Fried cheese curds are a favorite dish in Wisconsin, the state famous for its cheese and dairy products. What’s Cooking America reported that cheese factories in the state have to make cheese curds daily to meet the high demand for the product.

WYOMING: Turducken
thanksgiving turkey on a table with people in the background
Turkey being placed on a table.

Turducken, an over-the-top hybrid food that consists of a chicken stuffed inside a duck that’s then stuffed inside a turkey all separated by layers of stuffing, was reportedly invented by Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme in a lodge in Wyoming, The New York Times reported.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Every Keanu Reeves movie, ranked

Keanu Reeves in a suit and tie
Keanu Reeves.
  • Keanu Reeves has starred in some of the most memorable movies of the last three decades.
  • He became a superstar thanks to movies like “Point Break,” “Speed,” “The Matrix,” and “John Wick.”
  • Here are all of Reeves’ movies, ranked according to critics.

Since coming on the scene in the mid-1980s as a fresh-faced kid from Canada, Keanu Reeves has redefined himself several times to become a Hollywood legend.

In the late ’80s, he was the heartthrob from hits like “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” “Point Break,” and “Speed.” By the late ’90s, he became a major action star thanks to “The Matrix” franchise. By the 2010s, he’d forged a comeback with “John Wick.”

With over 60 film credits to his name, Reeves has done everything from rom-coms to dramas to action. But which title do critics love the most?

Here are all of Reeves’ movies, ranked from worst to best by critics’ scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Libby Torres contributed to a previous version of this post.

In 2012, Reeves starred in the independent film “Generation Um…”
keanu reeves generation um

Critic Score: 0%

Synopsis: After partying in New York City last night, John and his beautiful girlfriends, Mia and Violet, form an intimate bond as their deepest secrets from their past are revealed. Friendships are tested and compromises are made as these three friends prepare to do it all again tonight.

Reeves starred as a dedicated police detective in 2016’s “Exposed.”
keanu reeves exposed

Critic Score: 8%

Synopsis: A police detective investigates the truth behind his partner’s death. The mysterious case reveals disturbing police corruption and a dangerous secret involving an unlikely young woman.

In 2018’s “Replicas,” Reeves played a neuroscientist who violates laws of bioethics.
keanu reeves replica

Critic Score: 9%

Synopsis: After a car accident kills his family, a daring synthetic biologist will stop at nothing to bring them back, even if it means pitting himself against a government-controlled laboratory, a police task force, and the physical laws of science. 

Reeves played a serial killer in the 2000 thriller “The Watcher.”
keanu reeves the watcher

Critic Score: 11%

Synopsis: Joel Campbell is a police detective who has recently relocated to Chicago after spending eight frustrating years trying to track down a vicious serial killer who has been terrorizing Los Angeles. However, the slayer, David Allen Griffin, doesn’t want the game of cat and mouse to end. Even though he previously put his murderous activities on hold, Griffin has started murdering young women again — and is sending clues to Campbell, mailing him photos of his intended victims and urging Campbell to save them while he still can. 

2018’s “Siberia” starred Reeves opposite Molly Ringwald.
keanu reeves siberia

Critic Score: 12%

Synopsis: American diamond merchant Lucas goes to Russia for a deal, but the deal starts to fall apart and his partner goes missing. Lucas soon becomes entangled in a relationship in Siberia with a Russian cafe owner, Katya. The love affair escalates along with the diamond trade world, and Lucas struggles to escape. 

Reeves showed off his comedic chops in the 1988 film “The Prince of Pennsylvania.”
keanu reeves the prince of pennsylvania

Critics Score: 14%

Synopsis: Set in a remote Pennsylvania coal-mining town, this off-beat comedy follows the friendship between an old hippie woman and a depressive teenage punk rocker who feels like a pariah. The fun begins when the two conspire to kidnap the boy’s father in hopes of getting a hold of the family fortune.

Reeves starred with Charlize Theron in the 2001 rom-com “Sweet November.”
keanu reeves sweet november

Critics Score: 15%

Synopsis: A workaholic tycoon meets a seemingly carefree woman who takes a new lover every month. She convinces him to spend a month with her so that she can help him overcome his unresolved emotional issues. After he falls in love with her, he discovers the reason behind her fear of commitment.

The 2013 period film “47 Ronin” starred Reeves as a half-Japanese, half-English samurai.
47 ronin keanu reeves

Critics Score: 16%

Synopsis: A band of samurai set out to avenge the death and dishonor of their master at the hands of a ruthless shogun. 

Reeves starred opposite Cameron Diaz in the 1996 rom-com “Feeling Minnesota.”
keanu reeves feeling minnesota

Critics Score: 16%

Synopsis: An ex-convict and his bumbling crook brother fight for the same woman.

Reeves had a small part in Gus Van Sant’s 1993 film “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.”
keanu reeves even cowgirls get the blues

Critics Score: 17%

Synopsis: Uma Thurman plays Sissy Hankshaw, a woman born with very large thumbs who, after hitchhiking, finds herself with a collection of other eccentric characters.  

Reeves played a machinist framed for murder in the 1996 film “Chain Reaction.”
keanu reeves chain reaction

Critics Score: 18%

Synopsis: Two researchers in a green alternative energy project are put on the run when they are framed for murder and treason. 

Reeves played a cyborg messenger in 1995’s “Johnny Mnemonic.”
keanu reeves johnny mnemonic

Critics Score: 20%

Synopsis: A data courier literally carrying a data package inside his head must deliver it before he dies from the burden or is killed by the Yakuza.

The 2008 remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” featured Reeves as sentient alien Klaatu.
keanu reeves the day the earth stood still

Critics Score: 21%

Synopsis: In this contemporary reinvention of the 1951 science fiction classic, renowned scientist Dr. Helen Benson finds herself face to face with an alien called Klaatu, played by Reeves.

2003’s “The Matrix Revolutions” featured Reeves as Neo.
The Matrix Revolutions Neo Keanu Reeves

Critics Score: 33%

Synopsis: The human city of Zion defends itself against the massive invasion of the machines as Neo fights to end the war at another front while also opposing the rogue Agent Smith.

Reeves played a defense attorney in the 2016 thriller “The Whole Truth.”
keanu reeves the whole truth

Critics Score: 35%

Synopsis: A defense attorney works to get his teenage client acquitted of murdering his wealthy father.

Reeves reunited with his “Speed” costar Sandra Bullock in the 2006 romantic drama “The Lake House.”
keanu reeves the lake house

Critics Score: 35%

Synopsis: A lonely doctor who once occupied an unusual lakeside house begins exchanging love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it’s too late. 

In 2015’s “Knock Knock,” Reeves played a man victimized by two scheming teenage girls.
keanu reeves knock knock

Critics Score: 37%

Synopsis: When a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse. 

In the 2008 film “Street Kings,” Reeves played an LAPD detective.
keanu reeves street kings

Critics Score: 37%

Synopsis: An undercover cop, disillusioned by the recent murder of his wife, is implicated in the murder of an officer and must struggle to clear himself.

Reeves played a washed-up quarterback in 2000 sports comedy “The Replacements.”
the replacements

Critics Score: 41%

Synopsis: The 1987 National Football League players’ strike inspired this sports-themed comedy. The Washington Sentinels are one of the strongest teams in pro football — until contract negotiations break down and the Sentinels go on strike. Determined to play the team’s schedule, owner Edward O’Neil recruits a ragtag band of scab players to be headed up and whipped into shape by the retired veteran coach Jimmy McGinty. 

In “Hardball,” Reeves played a down-and-out gambler who’s forced to coach a Little League team.
keanu reeves hardball

Critics Score: 42%

Synopsis: Keanu Reeves stars as Conor O’Neill, an underachiever and inveterate sports gambler who needs a bailout loan from a friend to pay off his mounting debt. As a condition for receiving the necessary funds, Conor is saddled with coaching a corporate-sponsored Little League baseball team for underprivileged youth in Chicago’s notorious Cabrini Green housing project.

Reeves played a toll collector-turned-bank robber in the 2010 film “Henry’s Crime.”
keanu reeves henry's crime

Critics Score: 43%

Synopsis: Released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, an ex-con targets the same bank he was sent away for robbing. 

2017’s “The Bad Batch” saw Reeves play the cult-like leader of a mythical town.
keanu reeves the bad batch

Critics Score: 45%

Synopsis: Arlen, one of thousands of Americans deemed unacceptable to society, is unceremoniously dumped into a hostile desert wasteland fenced off from civilized society. While wandering in her desert exile, she is captured by a savage band of cannibals and quickly realizes she’ll have to fight for her very existence in this human-eat-human world.

Reeves starred in the 1995 romantic drama “A Walk in the Clouds.”
keanu reeves a walk in the clouds

Critics Score: 46%

Synopsis: Veteran Paul Sutton is having difficulty forgetting the recent horrors of WWII, and his self-absorbed wife isn’t helping matters. One day, Paul meets a distraught pregnant woman whose boyfriend has abandoned her. To help out, Paul poses as her husband for her family and finds himself in a difficult situation. 

Keanu put his past experience as a hockey player to use in 1986’s “Youngblood.”
keanu reeves youngblood

Critics Score: 44%

Synopsis: A 17-year-old farm boy is offered an ice hockey tryout. His brother drives him to Canada. He has fast legs, slow fists, but is chosen. Will he learn to use his fists and play ice hockey the Canuck way? Will he get the coach’s cute daughter?

Reeves played an occult detective in the 2005 film “Constantine.”
keanu reeves constantine

Critics Score: 46%

Synopsis: Supernatural detective John Constantine helps a policewoman prove her sister’s death was not a suicide, but something more.

1988’s “Permanent Record” saw Keanu played a man whose best friend commits suicide.
keanu reeves permanent record

Critics Score: 47%

Synopsis: High school student Alan Boyce has it all: looks, charm, popularity, excellent grades, a promising future. So why does Boyce abruptly commit suicide? As the shock waves of the boy’s death reverberate through the halls of his school, the other students — particularly Boyce’s best friend, played by Reeves — ask themselves if they, too, are capable of self-destruction.

Reeves reunited with his “Dracula” costar Winona Ryder in the 2018 rom-com “Destination Wedding.”
keanu reeves destination wedding

Critics Score: 51%

Synopsis: The story of two miserable and unpleasant wedding guests, Lindsay and Frank, who develop a mutual affection despite themselves.

Reeves played a radio station employee who falls in love with a coworker in 1990’s “Tune in Tomorrow….”
tune in tomorrow keanu reeves

Critics Score: 55%

Synopsis: In New Orleans circa 1951, a news writer for a local radio station, Martin Loader, meets and falls in love with his aunt Julia, a divorced woman who is looking for a new husband. But things get complicated when a soap-opera writer is hired to boost the station’s bad ratings.  

Reeves reprised his role as Ted Logan in 1991’s “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey.”
keanu reeves bill and ted's bogus journey

Critics Score: 56%

Synopsis: A tyrant from the future creates evil android doubles of Bill and Ted and sends them back to eliminate the originals. 

Reeves played a violent murderer in the 2000 movie “The Gift.”
keanu reeves the gift

Critics Score: 57%

Synopsis: Annie, a young recently widowed mother of three, lives in Brixton, Georgia, and supports herself by giving psychic readings. The narrow-minded townspeople shun her for her gift of psychic vision. When Valerie drops in for a reading, Annie advises her to leave her abusive husband. Soon, Annie finds herself in danger as the body of a woman is found and investigators turn to her for help.

1990’s black comedy “I Love You to Death” saw Reeves play a hit man hired to kill a cheating husband.
keanu reeves i love you to death

Critics Score: 58%

Synopsis: Based on an actual event, Lawrence Kasdan’s black comedy stars Kevin Kline as Joey Boca, a womanizer whose wife, Rosalie, finally learns of her husband’s wicked ways and decides to kill him. However, Joey somehow manages to sidestep all of Rosalie’s murder attempts. 

Reeves played a seedy motel owner in the 2016 horror film “The Neon Demon.”
keanu reeves neon demon

Critics Score: 59%

Synopsis: “When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has.” 

In Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1993 film “Little Buddha,” Reeves played religious leader Siddhartha Gautama.
keanu reeves little buddha

Critics Score: 63%

Synopsis: After the death of Lama Dorje, Tibetan Buddhist monks find three children — one American and two Nepalese — who may be the rebirth of their great teacher. 

Reeves played Neo one last time (we hope) in 2021’s “The Matrix Resurrections.”
Carrie-Ann Moss and Keanu Reeves prepairing for battle
Carrie-Ann Moss and Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix: Resurrections.”

Critics Score: 63%

Synopsis: Set 60 years after “Matrix Revolutions,” Neo once more must escape a new version of the Matrix in order to save Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss).

Reeves starred alongside Charlize Theron and Al Pacino in the 1997 horror film “The Devil’s Advocate.”
The Devil's Advocate 1 Warner Bros

Critics Score: 65%

Synopsis: An exceptionally adept Florida lawyer is offered a job at a high-end New York City law firm with a demanding boss — the biggest opportunity of his career to date. 

Reeves had a fun cameo in 2020’s “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run.”
keanu reeves spongebob movie trailer

Critics Score: 66%

Synopsis: SpongeBob and his friend Patrick set out to find SpongeBob’s beloved pet snail, Gary.

Reeves appeared in the 2006 animated science-fiction film “A Scanner Darkly.”
keanu reeves a scanner darkly

Critics Score: 68%

Synopsis: Set in a future world where America has lost the war on drugs, an undercover cop, Fred, is one of many agents hooked on the popular drug Substance D, which causes its users to develop split personalities. Fred, for instance, is also Bob, a notorious drug dealer. Along with his superior officers, Fred sets up an elaborate scheme to catch Bob and tear down his operation. 

Reeves played the much younger love interest of Robin Wright in 2009’s “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.”
keanu reeves the private lives of pippa lee

Critics Score: 69%

Synopsis: After her much older husband forces a move to a suburban retirement community, Pippa Lee engages in a period of reflection and finds herself heading toward a quiet nervous breakdown.

The actor starred in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 adaptation of “Dracula.”
Bram Stoker's dracula

Critics Score: 69%

Synopsis: The centuries-old vampire Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker’s (Reeves) fiancée, Mina Murray (Winona Ryder), and wreak havoc in the foreign land. 

Reeves played a doctor specializing in eating disorders in Netflix’s 2017 film “To the Bone.”
keanu reeves to the bone

Critics Score: 69%

Synopsis: ‘To the Bone’ shares the story of 20-year-old Ellen and her battle with anorexia. Ellen enters a group home run by an unconventional doctor, where she and the other residents go on a sometimes funny, sometimes harrowing journey navigating their addictions and finding the path to choosing life.

He starred with Patrick Swayze in 1991’s action film “Point Break.”
point break

Critics Score: 69%

Synopsis: Kathryn Bigelow’s classic action film follows FBI agent Johnny Utah (Reeves) as he goes undercover to infiltrate a group of surfers suspected of robbing banks.

Reeves starred in and made his directorial debut with the 2013 martial arts film “Man of Tai Chi.”
keanu reeves man of tai chi

Critics Score: 70%

Synopsis: A young martial artist’s unparalleled Tai Chi skills land him in a highly lucrative underworld fight club.

Reeves starred in the 2005 independent film “Thumbsucker.”
Keanu Reeves walking in a hallway in the movie Thumbsucker
(L-R) Keanu Reeves and Lou Taylor Pucci in “Thumbsucker.”

Critics Score: 70%

Synopsis: Justin Cobb is a 16-year-old desperate to find a way to break this embarrassing habit he has retained since infancy. Though his parents try their hardest to help him, the problem surfaces in other forms, from drug addiction to alcoholism.

In 2022, Reeves voiced Batman in “DC League of Super-Pets.”
Keanu Reeves voices cartoon Batman
Keanu Reeves as Batman in “DC League of Super-Pets.”

Critics Score: 72%

Synopsis: Superman’s dog, Krypto, teams with a shelter dog named Ace to save the captured superheroes held by Lex Luthor.

Reeves played a doctor with the hots for Diane Keaton in the 2003 hit rom-com “Something’s Gotta Give.”
keanu reeves something's gotta give

Critics Score: 72%

Synopsis: Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a perennial bachelor who only dates women under the age of 30. Then he meets Erica Barry (Diane Keaton), a successful, divorced playwright and the mother of the girl he’s dating. But Erica is also being pursued by Harry’s charming 30-something doctor, Julian Mercer (Reeves). 

Reeves reprised his role as Neo in 2003’s “The Matrix Reloaded.”
matrix reloaded warner bros

Critics Score: 74%

Synopsis: Following the events of “The Matrix,” Neo and the rebel leaders estimate they have 72 hours until 250,000 probes discover Zion and destroy it and its inhabitants. Neo must decide how he can save Trinity from a dark fate in his dreams.

Reeves returned as John Wick for “Ballerina,” a 2025 spin-off in the franchise.
Keanu Reeves standing in the snow in the movie Ballerina
Keanu Reeves in “Ballerina.”

Critics Score: 75%

Synopsis: Set between chapters 3 and 4 in the “John Wick” franchise, Ana de Armas plays a ballerina who is also a trained assassin who is out to avenge the death of her father.

Reeves earned rave reviews for his role in 1991’s “My Own Private Idaho.”
my own private idaho keanu reeves river phoenix

Critics Score: 80%

Synopsis: Two best friends living on the streets of Portland as hustlers embark on a journey of self-discovery and find their relationship stumbling along the way. 

Reeves once more played Ted “Theodore” Logan in 2020’s “Bill & Ted Face the Music.”
bill and ted face the music

Critics Score: 83%

Synopsis: Bill and Ted must write a song to unite humanity.

“Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” garnered generally positive reviews for Reeves.
bill and ted Orion Pictures

Critics Score: 83%

Synopsis: When a couple air-headed rock-star wannabes are faced with the break-up of their band as a result of poor grades, help comes along in the form of an “Emissary from the Future” who takes them to the past to meet the people they have been studying about.

1999’s “The Matrix” is one of Reeves’ most famous films.
Keanu Reeves as Neo blocking bullets in The Matrix
Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix.”

Critics Score: 83%

Synopsis: A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.

Reeves began playing the iconic role of a hit man out for revenge in 2014 with “John Wick.”
john wick

Critics Score: 86%

Synopsis: An ex-hit-man comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters who killed his dog and took everything from him. 

In the 2025 comedy “Good Fortune,” he played a fallen angel.
Keanu Reeves smoking a cigarette in the movie Good Fortune
Keanu Reeves in “Good Fortune.”

Critics Score: 86%

Synopsis: In a failed attempt to show Arj (Aziz Ansari) that money can’t solve all his problems by body swapping him with wealthy guy Jeff (Seth Rogen), angel Gabriel (Reeves) loses his wings and watches as everything begins to unravel due to his action.

Reeves voiced Shadow in 2024’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.”
Shadow the Hedgehog with lightning around his fist
Keanu Reeves voiced Shadow in “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.”

Critics Score: 86%

Synopsis: Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles must face off against Shadow the Hedgehog, who has teamed up with Dr. Ivo and Robotnik to destroy the world.

“River’s Edge” was a dark teen horror film featuring Keanu Reeves.
keanu reeves river's edge

Critics Score: 88%

Synopsis: Based on a true story, a group of apathetic high school students learn that a friend has killed his girlfriend, and after they are shown the body, decline to inform the police.

Reeves reprised his role as John Wick in 2017’s “John Wick: Chapter 2.”
john wick 2

Critics Score: 89%

Synopsis: In this next chapter following the 2014 hit, legendary hit man John Wick is forced back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild.

Reeves returned as the titular character in “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum.”
john wick 3 parabellum

Critics Score: 89%

Synopsis: John Wick returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail.

Reeves had a small part in Netflix’s 2019 rom-com “Always Be My Maybe.”
keanu reeves always be my maybe

Critics Score: 89%

Synopsis: Childhood sweethearts have a falling out and don’t speak for 15 years. They reconnect as adults when Sasha, now a celebrity chef opening a restaurant in San Francisco, runs into Marcus, a happily struggling musician still living at home working for his dad. 

Keanu played Don John in an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.”
keanu reeves much ado about nothing

Critics Score: 90%

Synopsis: Young lovers Hero and Claudio, soon to wed, conspire to get verbal sparring partners and confirmed singles Benedick and Beatrice to wed as well.

Reeves plays a young father in 1989’s “Parenthood.”
keanu reeves parenthood

Critics Score: 92%

Synopsis: The Buckmans are a Midwestern family dealing with estranged relatives, raising children, the pressures of their jobs, and learning to be a good parent and spouse.

Reeves starred in the 1988 period drama “Dangerous Liaisons.”
keanu reeves dangerous liaisons

Critics Score: 94%

Synopsis: The story revolves around a cruel wager between the beautiful but debauched Marquise de Merteuil and her misogynistic former lover, the Vicomte de Valmont.

Reeves continued to kick butt in 2023’s “John Wick: Chapter 4.”
Keanu Reeves walking in a church
Keanu Reeves in “John Wick: Chapter 4.”

Critics Score: 94%

Synopsis: In this chapter in the franchise, Wick sets out to destroy the High Table and anyone else who gets in his way.

Critics loved Reeves in 1994’s “Speed.”
sandra bullock keanu reeves speed
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock have been friends for years and starred in two movies together.

Critics Score: 95%

Synopsis: Keanu Reeves stars as LA Bomb Squad specialist Jack Traven, whose principal antagonist is an elusive bomber-extortionist Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper). Seeking vengeance after his latest ransom scheme is thwarted, Payne presents a personal challenge to Traven: A wired-for-destruction city bus, which will detonate if the speedometer drops below 50 mph. 

2019’s “Toy Story 4” marked Reeves’ highest rated critic score.
Keanu Reeves as Toy Story 4 character Duke Caboom
Keanu Reeves in “Toy Story 4.”

Critics Score: 96%

Synopsis: Woody and Buzz set out on a road trip where they encounter new toys like Forky and Duke Caboom (Reeves).

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Prince Andrew gives up his royal title as controversy swirls around his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein

Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew has lost his royal titles following scandals involving Jeffrey Epstein and an alleged Chinese spy.
  • Prince Andrew gave up his royal titles following discussions with his family.
  • The prince has been subject to scrutiny for his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
  • Court documents and British media have also raised questions about his contact with an alleged spy.

He’s still a prince, but that’s about it.

Prince Andrew announced Friday that he has given up all of his “titles and honours” after discussing it with his older brother King Charles of England and other members of the royal family.

“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Prince Andrew said in a statement.

The decision comes amid ongoing scrutiny into the British royal family member’s relationship with the now-dead pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, as well as court documents and reports in the British media raising questions about his interactions with an alleged Chinese spy.

“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” Prince Andrew’s statement said. “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

As the son of the monarch, Prince Andrew will continue to use the title “prince,” but he will no longer be known as the Duke of York.

In lawsuits and depositions, several of Epstein’s accusers have accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse, which he has denied.

Prince Andrew previously lost some of his royal titles in early 2022, after he was sued by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault.

According to Giuffre’s lawsuit, Prince Andrew, Epstein, and Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell forced her to have sexual intercourse with the prince in Maxwell’s London home, Epstein’s New York mansion, and Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands.

Prince Andrew settled the lawsuit in March of 2022 without admitting wrongdoing. He said he regrets his association with Epstein.

A memoir by Giuffre, who died earlier this year, is scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

The prince has also come under scrutiny for his relationship with Yang Tengbo, a Chinese businessman who UK authorities banned from entering the country, believing he was a spy. According to British court documents made public following Yang’s legal challenge to the ban, Yang recruited Prince Andrew for a project that would connect Chinese and UK-based businesses.

Prince Andrew’s relationship with Epstein has come under renewed scrutiny as pressure mounts for President Donald Trump to release the government’s files about Jeffrey Epstein, as members of his administration previously said they would do.

Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Maxwell is serving a 25-year prison sentence for trafficking girls to Epstein for sex.

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Marc Andreessen says AI will give rise to a new type of filmmaker: ‘That’s a reason for profound optimism’

a16z's Marc Andreessen
Legendary investor Marc Andreessen has high hopes for AI’s impact on Hollywood.
  • Marc Andreessen said AI will create a new type of filmmaker in Hollywood.
  • “The filmmaker with no visual skill, or access to a set, or to a camera, or to actors, but with an idea,” he said.
  • AI has divided the entertainment industry as it threatens jobs and copyright holders.

Didn’t go to film school? Don’t worry. Legendary investor and movie buff Marc Andreessen doesn’t think that will be an issue for future creatives.

During an episode of “Monitoring the Situation,” the podcast for the venture capitalist firm that Andreessen cofounded, A16z, he said advancements in AI technology — like OpenAI’s Sora 2 — have made it possible for a new type of filmmaker to emerge.

“The filmmaker with no visual skill, or access to a set, or to a camera, or to actors, but with an idea,” Andreessen said on Friday. “It’s going to start with shorts and animated things and so forth, but it’s going to work its way up to full movies.”

Andreessen said AI has made the art of filmmaking more accessible to people who may have creative skills but lack the financial resources or technical expertise.

“People who otherwise would be limited to only being novelists or people who do graphic novels but are creative geniuses are going to be able to actually make full movies with AI,” Andreessen said. “I think that’s a reason for profound optimism. I think we’re going to get completely new kinds of film and entertainment from people who otherwise never would have been able to access the medium. I’m very positive on that.”

A16z announced last year that it had invested in Promise, a studio that uses AI to create films and other projects.

While some industry leaders view AI as an opportunity to cut costs and speed up projects, others worry it could wipe out jobs.

Members of the Writers Guild of America protesting in July 2023.
Members of the Writers Guild of America were on strike, partly due to AI, in 2023.

Skeptics have also expressed concern over potential copyright issues related to how companies train AI models and use copyrighted IP.

Outside of film, other segments in the entertainment industry are also grappling with AI and its impact on creatives. On Thursday, Spotify announced a partnership with major record labels and music companies to develop “artist-first AI music products.” In a press release, the streaming platform criticized the tech industry.

“Some voices in the tech industry believe copyright should be abolished. We don’t. Musicians’ rights matter. Copyright is essential,” the company said. “If the music industry doesn’t lead in this moment, AI-powered innovation will happen elsewhere, without rights, consent, or compensation.”

Representatives for Andreessen Horowitz did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

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The US Army’s drone surge has limits. A commander says more tech isn’t always better.

Two US Army soldiers walk on a red dirt road with lines of fresh and clouds in the background. The sky is blue.
Soldiers are adapting to the opportunities and challenges presented by drone warfare.
  • The US Army is starting to really prioritize integrating drone technology into the force.
  • But not every soldier needs one, a commander argued this week.
  • These systems can be enablers, he said, but they can also be overwhelming.

When it comes to fielding drones in the US Army, one commander said giving too many to soldiers could be overwhelming.

While Army leadership has been pushing new drone technology, much of the learning including how many drones small units can realistically handle is happening on the fly.

At the Association of the US Army’s annual event in Washington, DC, this week, Col. Dave Lamborn, commander of the 2nd Mobile Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, said there’s an upper limit on the “number of devices to field out to tactical formations.”

There has been a lot of discussion about getting enablers, like drone tech, down to the squad level. “I certainly want to enable squads, but I also don’t want to encumber squads,” Lamborn said. “There’s enough stuff for these guys to do.”

A squad leader, for example, would end up with even more responsibilities, while fire teams could wind up managing devices instead of leading their riflemen. Soldiers already juggle plenty of gear, like night vision, thermal optics, radios, and weapons, that demand constant attention, Lamborn said.

The lowest level that Lamborn envisions using drones is the platoon, which is composed of more soldiers than squads that are more capable of handling drone operations without it becoming a burden.

Drone distribution isn’t just about workload, he added. It’s also about key resources, such as batteries, charging stations, spare parts, 3D-printing gear, and power generation. Each adds a new layer of logistical hurdles to overcome.

By limiting that distribution, Lamborn said, he can better tackle those resource demands, “which prove to be a great challenge for us in a jungle environment, quite frankly,” back a bit.

Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh, the deputy commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, raised similar concerns. “Now, how many can you effectively employ?” he asked. “Do I bring ammunition on the helicopter, or do I bring batteries on the helicopter?”

Those limits may change with time though. When the technology advances, the number of drones a unit could handle might be “unlimited,” he said.

The Army is still figuring out how to make small, cheap drones work in the real world. In the Indo-Pacific’s heat and humidity, for instance, keeping them operational is a challenge. The 25th Infantry Division has taken a leading role in testing, especially with small drones and 3D printing gear.

Across the US Army, soldiers are learning to build, fix, and fly uncrewed aerial vehicles and even conduct drone-on-drone kills as the service and the broader US military embrace drone warfare. Many of these lessons draw from the war in Ukraine, and close work with industry partners has created an iterative feedback loop between soldiers and drone developers.

There are some growing pains, though, including a shortage of soldiers with the specialized skills needed to operate drones, conduct electronic warfare, and manage other tech the Army sees as critical for future wars.

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Amex says the rate of new card accounts has doubled since it introduced its pricey new Platinum card

American Express Platinum card
The mirror design will be available for six months, or as long as supplies last.
  • Amex said new account acquisitions for its elite Platinum card doubled since a recent revamp.
  • Amex is seeing strong spending among younger cardholders and has geared some perks toward them.
  • Chase said it had its best year for new account acquisitions on its elite card earlier this week.

Not even multi-hundred-dollar fee hikes have stifled the consumer appetite for elite credit cards.

American Express executives said that early demand for its revamped Platinum card beat their expectations on Friday’s third-quarter earnings call.

“New Platinum account acquisitions are running at twice the level before the refresh,” CEO Stephen Squeri said on the company’s third-quarter earnings call on Friday. So far, he said it’s the “strongest start” the company has seen for a US Platinum refresh (this is the third in the last decade).

Amex unveiled its new Platinum card in September, which has an annual fee of $895. Squeri said that retention rates for existing cardholders “have been stable post refresh,” adding that the $200 price hike won’t go into effect for them for a few months.

As the luxury credit card wars have heated up — Chase upped its Sapphire Reserve fee and Citi introduced its Strata Elite card this summer — some have grumbled over the ever-climbing fees. According to JPMorgan Chase CFO Jeremy Barnum, however, they’re not having any trouble convincing people to pay the now $795 fee for its refreshed card.

“This has already been the best year ever for new account acquisitions for our Sapphire portfolio,” he said on Chase’s third-quarter earnings call on Tuesday.

For Amex, the Platinum perks “appeal broadly across generations, including millennial and Gen Z consumers,” Squeri said on Friday. He added that they seem to especially appreciate the wellness and entertainment bonuses.

Young cardholders have become a key Amex customer in recent years. In the first quarter of last year, the company said millennials and Gen Zers made up 75% of its new platinum and gold accounts.

Squeri also said in an interview last year that the company used to target millennials and Gen Zers with no-fee cards, but has since tried to woo them with fancier and more expensive ones. This quarter, millennial and Gen Z consumers across Amex cards tended to complete about 25% more transactions than older cohorts, CFO Christophe Le Caillec said on Friday’s call.

Amex reported $421 billion in billed business — the value of transactions on Amex products — during the third quarter. The company’s stock was up more than 7% by mid-afternoon on Friday.

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