Kohl’s Kohl’s has had headline-grabbing shareholder activism that included the abrupt ousting of its C.E.O., Ashley Buchanan, only months into the job. He is leaving as the company reels from accusations of unethical behavior that have jolted the business and prompted larger questions about how accountable leadership is and about corporate oversight. Buchanan, who was hired as its chief executive in January 2025, had been meant to help right the ailing department store chain. Instead, he is departing under a cloud of scandal after an internal investigation found that he broke serious rules of the company during his time in charge.

The company said it had fired Buchanan “for cause,” an unusual and major decision in the corporate realm. An outside investigation determined he had ordered the company to engage in transactions with vendors that presented undisclosed conflicts of interest. In simpler language, he was using his role to help conduct business that could have profited him or close associates, without informing the company. The company said that these actions did not involve Kohl’s financial reporting or other employees, but a decision to fire a chief executive just months into the job is also one with outsize implications.

Previously, Buchanan was the CEO of arts and crafts retail chain Michaels. His appointment had been hailed as a bold move to help turn around Kohl’s, which is struggling amid weakening sales and mounting competition in a challenging retail landscape. Yet his stint in office was also followed by further reversals. According to a review of preliminary financial results from Kohl’s, the company’s sales declined by 4.3 percent during his brief time on the job — far short of the turnaround that shareholders were looking for.

The company’s board of directors has named Michael Bender, the current chairman, interim CEO as they search for a new permanent CEO. But the market actually applauded the departure of Buchanan, it surprisingly rose. Shares in Kohl’s jumped as much as 8 percent after the announcement, indicating that investors may have already lost faith in his leadership or are hopeful that new leadership can turn the company around.

Retail analysts are less sanguine. The firing comes as a distraction for the company at a particularly bad moment, said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail. “While the dismissal may have nothing to do with overall company performance, it does add to the perception outside the company that things are a bit shaky. Saunders said it was a “blow upon a bruise,” meaning the move exacerbates already existing problems instead of addressing them.

Like many traditional department stores, Kohl’s has been under extreme pressure in recent years. Shifting consumer tastes, the rise of online shopping and persistent inflation have made it difficult for brick-and-mortar companies to stay profitable. On top of Western leadership woes, the company also is facing the reality of declining foot traffic and ever-more price-sensitive shoppers.

Earlier this year, Kohl’s also shared plans to shutter 27 locations in the U.S. These closures have brought the company’s total store count to about 1,100, representing a significant reduction in the retailer’s store footprint. The move is part of a broader shift in the industry, in which many legacy retailers are rethinking their physical footprints as they try to adjust to a more digital economy.

The repercussions of Buchanan’s firing could be widespread. For Kohl’s, they raise questions of how closely executives are scrutinized and what kinds of internal controls should exist to keep similar problems from happening in the future. For shareholders, it casts further doubt on the direction of the company and questions about who is leading. For the general business public, the case should stand as a reminder that not even top brass is immune from examination and answerability.

The road that lies ahead for Kohl’s is unclear. With interim leadership now secured and a search for a CEO underway, the company needs to move fast to win back the trust of investors and navigate a new course. The scandal is an unnecessary wrinkle to an already difficult environment and who knows, maybe the company does come out stronger. Or maybe this is just another chapter in its struggles.

Dwayne Johnson is stepping into what may be the most transformative role of his acting career, taking on the part of legendary UFC and MMA fighter Mark Kerr in the upcoming film “The Smashing Machine.” This gritty biographical drama, set to release on October 3 and directed by Benny Safdie, offers a deep dive into the life of Kerr—an athlete whose raw physical power in the ring was matched only by the personal demons he battled outside of it. Known widely for his blockbuster action roles, Johnson’s portrayal here marks a significant and deliberate shift toward more dramatic, character-driven storytelling.

In the newly released trailer, Johnson is almost unrecognizable. Though he hasn’t publicly addressed his physical transformation in great detail, it’s apparent that facial prosthetics and careful styling have helped him bear a striking resemblance to Kerr. The fighter’s story, originally featured in the 2002 HBO documentary also titled “The Smashing Machine,” captured the brutal realities of early MMA competition and revealed Kerr’s struggles with substance abuse and emotional turmoil. Johnson appears to embrace every layer of this complexity, channeling the vulnerability and intensity that defined Kerr’s life both inside and outside the ring.

The trailer provides glimpses of the brutal, adrenaline-charged world of professional fighting—raw and visceral in its execution—but it also reveals a far more intimate narrative. Central to this is Kerr’s relationship with his girlfriend, played by Emily Blunt. Reuniting with Johnson after their time together in Disney’s “Jungle Cruise,” Blunt brings a grounded emotional presence to the film. The tension between their characters, caught between love, ambition, and addiction, adds an essential human depth to the story.

In one poignant moment in the trailer, Johnson’s Kerr reflects on the intoxication of success, saying, “Winning is the best feeling in the world. It’s 40,000 people in there cheering you on. There’s no other high like it in the world.” This line encapsulates the highs and lows Kerr experiences as he navigates fame, pain, and a relentless pursuit of victory. Johnson’s delivery is full of gravitas, suggesting a layered performance that digs much deeper than anything he’s previously taken on.

For Johnson, this role is not just a creative departure but a personal challenge. In an interview with GQ last year, he shared that the opportunity to portray Kerr felt like a chance to break new ground in his career. “It was also an opportunity for me, I realized, to stretch myself in ways that I hadn’t been stretched yet,” he explained. “And also challenge myself in ways that I hadn’t been challenged.” That drive to evolve, both as an actor and a storyteller, is evident in every frame of the trailer.

While Johnson has been busy in other areas—voicing Maui once again in “Moana 2,” returning to the WWE ring, and joining the board of TKO Group Holdings following the WWE-UFC merger—“The Smashing Machine” stands apart as a pivotal moment in his career. It’s not about larger-than-life action heroes or comedic charm. It’s about stepping into someone else’s pain and perseverance, and doing so with authenticity.

Director Benny Safdie, making his solo debut after co-directing acclaimed films like “Uncut Gems” with his brother Josh, brings a raw, almost documentary-style realism to the project. His past work has been praised for its tense, emotionally charged storytelling, and “The Smashing Machine” appears to follow in that tradition. The film is likely to appeal not only to fans of MMA and biopics but also to those interested in the psychological complexities that come with public glory and private battles.

As anticipation builds for the release, “The Smashing Machine” seems poised to redefine what audiences expect from Dwayne Johnson. Known affectionately as “The Rock” by his wrestling fans, Johnson is now forging a new path—one that embraces nuance, hardship, and a kind of storytelling that doesn’t rely on spectacle alone. If the trailer is any indication, his turn as Mark Kerr could be one of the most powerful performances of the year.

With a compelling cast, a gripping true story, and a fearless lead performance, “The Smashing Machine” might not just be a film about fighting—it could be a knockout moment in Johnson’s cinematic journey.

At a time when it’s the largest of RPGs that tend to dominate the gaming world, Baldur’s Gate 3, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, as well as Metaphor ReFantazio are constantly upping the game with their vast, sprawling worlds. Games are larger, denser and more time-consuming than ever. One time, that sheer size was intoxicating — so many hours disappeared in the Dragon Age: Origins, L.A. Noire and, yes, Cyberpunk 2077 universes. But as life has become more cluttered, the allure of the mega adventure has begun to fade. Suddenly, spending weeks inside some other giant game seems less thrilling than it is like a commitment you’re not going to follow through on. Age, responsibility, a dwindling attention span, or something are all easy culprits to point to. But then there’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and suddenly it feels like you’re into something else.

That first sigh, even for the beginning of Expedition 33, was almost reflexive. 30 hours with the main story plus 30 more for anyone chasing every side quest? It sounded like one more lovely world doomed to gather dust beside other lovely worlds. But if you entered Lumiere, Expedition 33 made an immediate impression. It wasn’t another oh-my-God sprawling epic commanding you to invest 100 bazillion hours in it. It felt somehow focused, direct, surprisingly inviting. Despite the clock ticking away in my mind, whispering reminders of failed games in days gone by, Expedition 33 sounded like something I’d jump at. That pull remained dragging at me, day by day, much as the only a handful of RPGs have kept me during the last few years.

What gives Expedition 33 so much power is their emphasis on story. There are major story beats from the very beginning, and they continue to come through thick for the player. Combat serves as an unimpeded guide, ushering you through environments without ever feeling tedious or overly challenging. Exploration is light and optional; you won’t get lost for hours of wandering. Rather, the game pushes you along, always teasing the next chapter of its story. It’s exactly the kind of hand-holding that massive games such as Baldur’s Gate 3 often end up failing at, as it occasionally loses you on a sprawling side quest or an endless diversion.

This nimble form ensures the game’s momentum seldom wavers. As soon as you’re just comfortable and getting a sense of getting used to one part of the ride, then the story will flip itself in service to another direction of pull. There’s no extensive stretches of filler, no burdensome lore dumps that bog things down. Every reveal is earned, and each one takes you a step closer to the showdown. It’s especially easy to dawdle halfway through in Baldur’s Gate 3 or Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Yet in Expedition 33, you zip along from start to finish on a wild high.

A lot of that can be attributed to the characters themselves. Baldur’s Gate 3 Shadowheart actress Jennifer English stars as Maelle, the story’s optimistic and tough heroine. Her voice gives form and soul to Maelle’s journey in a manner that is sincere and emotionally resonant enough to allow the character to become instantly recognisable. Seeing her play off her fellow cast members who range from Devora Wilde to Charlie Cox to Andy Serkis adds an extra layer to the experience. Serkis’ Renoir is a fearsome and charismatic villain, while Cox’s Gustave is a mixture of warmth, loyalty, and humor in just the right proportions.

Together the cast make for a lively gang akin to those Dragon Age: Origins parties you can’t help but to love or the lovable problem children of Baldur’s Gate 3. The friendships, the quips, the silent interludes between-combat make you care. You want them to succeed. You cheer them on through every plot twist and turn. A game that can form that kind of attachment between player and character is no longer just another RPG to me, but an emotional investment.

Expedition 33 finds a nearly perfect medium in world design as well. The world that Lumiere created is a beautiful, big world with so much potential, but it never seems overpowering. It’s up to you how far you pursue side quests, collectibles and just wandering around. There is no pressure to reveal all the secrets, though, unless you feel so inclined. For players who like checking boxes, there’s plenty of extra content, with goofy inclusions such as baguette-themed outfits and encounters with mimes. But for the latter, for those who only want a compelling story, the game never wags distractions in your face.

In an age filled with open-world games where the screen is cluttered with infinite side quests and branching storylines and maps that go on forever, it’s nice to still be able to find an RPG that is simply built on the heart of good storytelling. Expedition 33 doesn’t overwhelm you with busywork or weigh you down with too much fluff. Instead, it has something else to offer: A sophisticatedly plotted narrative that’s simply given the chance to shine. It’s also proof that in a world that’s determined to make games bigger, and bigger, and bigger again, sometimes it is the little, or rather less little, that means the most in the end.

Indeed, while Baldur’s Gate 3, God of War and Dragon Age are justly consecrated to the pantheon of the greats, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 should be mentioned in the same breath. A passionate, engaging adventure that calls back to why we all fell in love with RPGs to begin with. If there’s one big narrative adventure you get to lose yourself in this year, Expedition 33 should be it.