By Bryanne Salazar
8:52am PST, Dec 15, 2017
Everyone loves to celebrate an anniversary! Join Wonderwall.com as we take a look at all the pop culture anniversaries happening in 2018… starting with the birthday of the most anticipated twins in Hollywood (at the time) — Vivienne and Knox Jolie-Pitt. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie welcomed their fifth and sixth children on July 12, 2008, at a hospital in Nice, France. The following November, W Magazine featured Angelina nursing the twins on its cover — a gorgeous photo that Brad took himself. Now keep reading for more pop culture milestones…
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Sure, Eddie Murphy got an Oscar nomination for 2007's "Dreamgirls," but one of his finest performances to date was undoubtedly in the 1988 comedy "Coming to America," which turns 30 years old on June 29, 2018. The film, about an African prince who travels to New York to find love, also starred James Earl Jones and Arsenio Hall.
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In 2018, "The Dark Knight" starring Christian Bale as Batman and Heath Ledger as The Joker will officially be 10 years old. The movie premiered on July 18, 2008, and went on to make more than $1 billion worldwide. It would be the second-to-last film Heath ever starred in, as he was found dead in his apartment from an overdose on Jan. 22, 2008, at the age of 28.
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It's a good thing "Will & Grace" starring Eric McCormack, Megan Mullally, Debra Messing and Sean Hayes is back on the air, because a lot has changed in the 20 years since the show originally premiered on Sept. 21, 1998. Back then, Bill Clinton was president, "Don't ask, don't tell" was military policy and the Supreme Court was 17 years away from making gay marriage legal in all 50 states. Another comedy that made its debut in 1998? "That '70's Show" starring Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Mila Kunis and Laura Prepon.
The vampire saga that captured every teenage girl's soul is turning 10 in 2018. "Twilight" starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (based on the books by Stephenie Meyer) premiered in theaters on Nov. 21, 2008.
The great thing about a movie like "There's Something About Mary" is that even 20 years after it premiered in theaters, it's still ridiculously funny. The film debuted on July 15, 1998, and starred Ben Stiller as Ted and Cameron Diaz as his teenage (and later adult) love interest, Mary.
"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" The kooky Tim Burton-directed film starring Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis and Winona Ryder is turning 30 in 2018. "Beetlejuice" debuted in theaters on March 30, 1988, and remains a cult classic (and Halloween favorite) to this day.
It's hard to believe "Iron Man" is 10 years old in 2018. The movie starring Robert Downey Jr. premiered in theaters on May 2, 2008, and while it only managed to make $585 million, it launched an entire generation of Marvel superhero storylines (and quite a few "Iron Man" sequels).
Nearly 20 years ago on Feb. 26, 1998, Oprah Winfrey won a five-week-long lawsuit brought against her by a group of Texas cattle ranchers who claimed a show she aired discussing Mad Cow disease — during which Oprah famously declared, "That just stopped me from eating another burger" — caused beef prices to plummet and caused them to lose a significant amount of money. In the end, the jury ruled in her favor. When Oprah exited the courthouse after the verdict was read, she said, "Free speech not only lives, it rocks!"
It's been nearly 25 years since "Jurassic Park" first lit up our imaginations and terrified us with its real-life implications concerning genetic research and dinosaur DNA. Starring Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum, the Steven Spielberg film, which was released on June 11, 1993, took in more than $1 billion worldwide.
Can you believe that on June 6, 2018, it will have been 10 years since the awesome animated adventure "Kung Fu Panda" premiered? Featuring Jack Black as the voice of Po the Panda, the eternally dorky Kung Fu apprentice, the movie spawned two sequels, a TV series and even a video game.
On July 23, 2018, the low-budget romantic drama "Poetic Justice" starring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur turns 25 years old. The movie, a moderate hit with audiences, featured Janet as the title character, Justice — a woman who copes with the murder of her boyfriend by writing poetry — and Tupac as the rough-edged mailman who shows her she's not alone. That same year, Janet also released her top-selling fifth studio album, "janet.," which included the lead single "That's the Way Love Goes."
Hold our comb and pomade because OMG, you guys, "Grease" is turning 40! The musical romance starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton John as Danny and Sandy, a summer lovin' teenage couple who wind up (awkwardly) attending the same high school. The film premiered in theaters on June 16, 1978, and quickly became a cult classic.
Rob Lowe might be one of our favorite TV stars today, but nearly 30 years ago on July 17, 1988, he was caught in an embarrassing sex scandal that involved a minor. Rob was in Georgia to support the Democratic National Convention and met two young women at a nightclub who later accompanied him back to his hotel room. Shortly after the three engaged in a romantic escapade (that was recorded on videotape), the girls left the hotel, tape in hand. Rob didn't think much of the encounter until a few months later when it was revealed that one of the girls involved was just 16 years old (though over the age of consent in Georgia) and her parents had seen the video. Rob was thrust into a very public scandal that involved lawsuits and undisclosed settlements.
Even butt-kicking peasant-turned-warrior girls have to grow up sometime. On June 19, 2018, the animated adventure "Mulan" turns 20 years old. Voiced by Chinese-American actress Ming-Na Wen, "Mulan" was one of the first animated films to explore new cultures, which fans loved. Now, Disney is filming a live-action version of the adventure that's due in theaters in 2019.
Remember when the media was so convinced there was a rivalry between pop stars Monica and Brandy? The two singers put all the rumors to rest when they debuted their hit song "The Boy is Mine" on July 14, 1998 — featuring both of them on the track, arguing over who gets the two-timing Lothario. The song went on to win the Grammy for best R&B performance by a duo. It's hard to believe that was nearly 20 years ago!
Has it really only been 10 years since young Dev Patel made his big-screen debut in the hit drama "Slumdog Millionaire"? The film, which was based on the novel "Q&A" by Vikas Swarup, debuted in theaters on Dec. 25, 2008, and launched Dev's career as one of the most popular British-Indian actors in America.
Also 10 years ago, AMC debuted "Breaking Bad" — which went on to become one of its most popular TV shows ever. The series, which first aired on Jan. 20, 2008, starred Bryan Cranston as a chemistry teacher with lung cancer who turns to manufacturing crystal meth to support his family. Another hit show that first aired in 2008 was "Sons of Anarchy" starring Charlie Hunnam, which debuted on Sept. 3 and ran until 2014.
No, we're not commemorating the famous classic "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (which would be 57 years old in 2018) — instead, we're remembering the loss of the film's star, Audrey Hepburn. The Belgian-born Oscar-winning actress was 63 years old when she died of appendiceal cancer nearly 25 years ago on Jan. 20, 1993.
The magic of "Mamma Mia!" is hard to ignore even 10 years after it debuted in theaters on July 18, 2008. The rom-com musical starred Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried as a mother and daughter navigating family taboos and love dramas through songs. Thankfully, the magic is set to continue as the sequel, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," arrives in theaters in 2018.
Exactly how old is Mariah Carey? Back in 1993, the eternally gorgeous singer released her third studio album, "Music Box" (which is widely considered her best album to date), kicking things off with lead single "Dream Lover" on July 27, 1993, nearly 25 years ago. The song peaked at No. 1 in six countries, including the U.S. The full album followed on Aug. 31, 1993.
Once upon a time, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis were everyone's relationship goals. Sadly, the couple, who share three daughters, ended their 10-year union in October 1998. Although they weren't officially divorced until 2000, we'll be mourning all over again on the 20-year anniversary of what could have been Hollywood's greatest love story.
There was a time when Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy was singing about girlfriend Katy Perry's eyes (comparable to a sunrise) but sadly, that tune changed in 2008. That's when Katy released her debut single, "I Kissed a Girl," on April 28 and shortly thereafter, dumped Travis right before the 2009 New Year. While we'll remember the 10-year anniversary of Katy's musical domination, we're giving her former relationship with Travis a moment of silence.
On Dec. 18, 1998, "You've Got Mail" starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks turns an unbelievable 20 years old. The film, which was directed and co-written by Nora Ephron, was a modest success in theaters, bringing in close to $251 million. It wouldn't be the last film that brought Tom and Meg together on the big screen. Nearly 17 years later, the duo starred in "Ithaca."
How time flies, especially when it comes to "Superman." The first superhero adventure starring Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent and his alien alter ego debuted in theaters on Dec. 15, 1978, meaning it's turning 40 years old in 2018. The film was strong at the box office, bringing in over $300 million and leading to three sequels. In 2006 and again in 2013, the character was rebooted for a new generation of fans to love.
On Sept. 10, 1993, audiences got their first taste of Agent Mulder and Agent Scully (played by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) on the hit sci-fi series "The X-Files." Now, almost 25 years have passed and the supernatural crime drama has come out of retirement. Following a rebooted 10th season in 2016, Season 11 returns on Jan. 3, 2018, with a rumored 10-episode run.
Before the summer of 1993, Michael Jackson was the undisputed king of pop. That changed when a man named Evan Chandler publicly accused Michael of sexually abusing his son. The media caught wind of the allegations during the third leg of Michael's "Dangerous" world tour, which Michael cancelled due to health problems he claimed were caused by the scandal. While Michael denied the accusations, he eventually settled out of court. Even though nearly 25 years (and more allegations of sexual abuse, which ended in a not-guilty verdict) have passed, the pop star, who died in 2009, was never able to overcome his tarnished reputation.
We're just going to say it: Even 10 years later, "Step Brothers" is one of the funniest Will Ferrell films of all time, and we don't care who knows it. Co-starring John C. Reilly, the raunchy comedy debuted in theaters on July 25, 2008, and made every parent realize they need to set a timeline for when their kids move out of the house.
ABC's hit coming-of-age family series "The Wonder Years" starring Fred Savage and Danica McKellar is actually celebrating two anniversaries in 2018. The first is the 30-year anniversary of the show's first episode, which aired on Jan. 31, 1988. The second (sniffle) is the show's final episode, which aired 25 years ago on May 12, 1993. There will never be another Kevin and Winnie.
After enduring one of the most publicly difficult years of her life — which included shaving her head, attacking a member of the paparazzi and locking herself and one of her young sons in her Los Angeles home's bathroom — Britney Spears was hospitalized 10 years ago on Jan. 3, 2008. The singer was later committed to psychiatric observation after being deemed a danger to herself and others. Incredibly, Britney emerged just a few months later ready to begin anew thanks to a personal and financial conservatorship led by her father. That same year, she released her sixth album, aptly titled "Circus," and got her life on track. It was a big year for another member of Britney's family too: Little sister Jamie Lynn Spears gave birth to her first child at the age of 16 in 2008.
On April 3, 2018, the iconic movie "Planet of the Apes" starring Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter turns an unbelievable 50 years old. The film, about an astronaut who lands on a future Earth where apes rule and humans are hunted, kept in zoos or used for experiments, was the inspiration for the 2001 reboot starring Mark Wahlberg as well as other films in the reimagined franchise.
Coming up on its 20-year anniversary is the period drama "Shakespeare in Love," which debuted in theaters on Dec. 11, 1998, and solidified the career of its star, a young Gwyneth Paltrow. The movie earned Gwyneth her first and only Academy Award and set her on a path to become one of the top actresses (and lifestyle entrepreneurs) in Hollywood.
For many of us, it's still hard to believe that the talented comedian and actor Robin Williams is no longer with us. It's even harder to believe that he starred in the comedy "Mrs. Doubtfire" nearly 25 years ago. The film debuted in theaters on Nov. 24, 1993, and allowed Robin to do what he did best: make the world laugh until it hurt.
On June 6, 2018, the acclaimed cable series "Sex and the City" will celebrate its 20-year anniversary. The show, based on a collection of essays from writer Candace Bushnell about her life as a young adult in New York City, starred Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie, Kristin Davis as Charlotte, Kim Cattrall as Samantha and Cynthia Nixon as Miranda.
Australian singer Kylie Minogue is about to celebrate her 30-year anniversary of making Americans shimmy and shake thanks to the release of her self-titled debut album on July 4, 1988. Her first hit song was a cover of the 1962 version of "The Loco-Motion" (originally by Little Eva), which became Kylie's highest charting song in the U.S., ultimately landing at No. 3.
If you're a fan of the romantic-comedy genre then you'll likely be celebrating the upcoming 25th anniversary of "Sleepless in Seattle" starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. The movie, about a young boy who tries to help his widowed father find love, debuted in theaters on June 25, 1993, and brought in over $201 million worldwide.
Another film reaching its 50-year anniversary is "Night of the Living Dead," which premiered in theaters on Oct. 4, 1968 — just in time to creep out audiences before Halloween. The movie, about a small band of human survivors who fight to stay alive as zombies take over the world, spawned a reboot in 1990 and was the inspiration for another pop culture hit — the wildly successful comic and TV series "The Walking Dead."
On Oct. 27, 2018, the scary movie to end all scary movies — "Halloween," featuring the masked murderer Michael Myers — will turn 40 years old. The film quickly became a horror classic, firmly entrenching itself in terrifying movie canon. It also spawned numerous sequels (10 in total) including the newest, which arrives in theaters on Oct. 19, 2018.
In the world of cinema, there is perhaps no movie as heartwarming or endearing to audiences as the 1988 family dramedy "Big" starring Tom Hanks and Jared Rushton. The movie, which will officially turn 30 on June 3, 2018, was a funny look at what could happen if a tween woke up one day as a grown man. Clearly, that means playing floor piano and spending a lot of time eating candy.
