Lauren Rouse

Lauren Rouse

Writer

Lauren Rouse has been a writer at The Direct since the site launched in 2020. She has a huge passion for everything pop culture and currently writes news articles for the Marvel, Star Wars, DC and video game branches.

Lauren also works as a journalist at Lifehacker, Gizmodo and Kotaku in Australia, where she covers entertainment news, reviews, and interviews talent. She previously served as a freelance writer at Game Rant and she holds a Master's degree in Screenwriting from AFTRS.

You can follow Lauren’s articles, entertainment opinions and Comic-Con adventures over on Twitter (@LRouse19).

About The Direct

The Direct is a leading independent entertainment news outlet covering the biggest franchises in pop culture. The Direct reaches over 10 million page views a month on its website, thedirect.com, and millions more on social media. Learn more about The Direct here!


Lauren Rouse's Latest The Direct Articles

Disney Removes 3 Marvel Studios Movies From 2026 & 2027 Release Calendar

Disney has removed three Marvel Studios films from its slate amidst a release calendar shake-up.

By Lauren Rouse -


New Spider-Man 4 Report Reveals Black Widow Connection

Spider-Man: Brand New Day shares an unexpected similarity with Marvel's Black Widow film.

By Lauren Rouse -


Peacemaker Season 2: Every DC Character Now Confirmed to Appear

New faces will join familiar heroes in the second season of John Cena's DCU TV show.

By Lauren Rouse -


Handmaid's Tale: Why Lawrence Gets on the Plane

Commander Lawrence's plans went awry in Season 6 Episode 9 of The Handmaid's Tale.

By Lauren Rouse -


The Bear Season 4 Trailer Omits One Major Cast Member

The Bear is returning for Season 4, but it may be without Carmy's longtime love interest, Claire.

By Lauren Rouse -


The Last of Us Actor Confirms What We All Suspected About Abby In Season 3

HBO's The Last of Us Season 3 will go in an expected direction, according to one of the show's stars.

By Lauren Rouse -


Lilo and Stitch 2025 Soundtrack Reveals 8 Hit Songs

The Lilo & Stitch live-action remake borrows several songs from the original soundtrack.

By Lauren Rouse -


Thunderbolts Post-Credits Scene Originally Featured Avengers 5's OG Villain

The post-credits scene for Thunderbolts* looked very different in earlier drafts.

By Lauren Rouse -


Last of Us Season 2: Ellie's Moth Tattoo Meaning Explained

The meaning of Ellie's moth tattoo was revealed in The Last of Us Season 2's sixth episode.

By Lauren Rouse -


Robert Downey Jr. Is No Longer the MCU's Most-Recurring Superhero Actor

Several MCU stars have beaten Robert Downey Jr.'s record for Marvel appearances.

By Lauren Rouse -


Avengers: Doomsday Confirmed to Include 2 Motion-Capture Characters

Two actors in Avengers: Doomsday will be unrecognizable as their characters.

By Lauren Rouse -


Marvel Boss Explains Why So Many Disney+ Shows Don't Get Second Seasons

The list of Disney+ shows with a second season is small and the Avengers might be the problem.

By Lauren Rouse -


Disney Confirms Its 6 Biggest Movies Releasing In the Rest of 2025

Disney CEO Bob Iger has highlighted the movies the studio is most excited for on its 2025 slate.

By Lauren Rouse -


2026 Spider-Man Show Announces Its 7 Main Actors

The next Spider-Man TV show is weaving an impressive web of cast members.

By Lauren Rouse -


Marvel Studios Confirms 9 Netflix Characters Are Now in the MCU

Marvel Studios is continuing to bring characters from Marvel's Netflix shows into the MCU.

By Lauren Rouse -


Marvel Studios' Newest Trailer Is Getting Dislike-Bombed

The trailer for Marvel's next Disney+ show, Ironheart, is receiving backlash online.

By Lauren Rouse -


The Last of Us Reveals Why Joel Shot Eugene (And His Reasoning Makes Total Sense)

The mystery of Eugene's death will be solved in The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 6.

By Lauren Rouse -


The Last of Us Season 2: Here's Where Abby Went After Ending Joel's Life

Fans wanting to know Abby's location in The Last of Us Season 2 can turn to Naughty Dog's game for the answer.

By Lauren Rouse -


Star Wars' Newest Lightsaber Has a Record-Breaking Blade Count (Photos)

Fans will soon bear witness to an epic lightsaber in the new season of Star Wars: Visions.

By Lauren Rouse -


Thunderbolts Movie Reveals First Look at Bucky's Trauma Room (Photos)

A key detail about Bucky's character may have been hiding in Thunderbolts all along.

By Lauren Rouse -


Avengers: Doomsday Confirmed to Include 6 MCU Disney+ Characters

The next Avengers movie will feature some MCU heroes from the small screen.

By Lauren Rouse -


Peacemaker Season 2: Here’s Why There Are 2 John Cena Peacemakers

John Cena's Peacemaker comes face to face with himself in Season 2 of James Gunn's superhero show.

By Lauren Rouse -


Avengers: Doomsday Director Gives Blunt Response About Elizabeth Olsen's Return

Avengers: Doomsday director Joe Russo has a cryptic answer about Wanda Maximoff's MCU future.

By Lauren Rouse -


Avatar 3 Movie Confirmed to Bring Back 11 Major Characters

Almost a dozen familiar characters make their return in James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash.

By Lauren Rouse -


Thunderbolts Director Reveals Tom Holland's Spider-Man Secretly Impacted the Movie's Story

Spider-Man: No Way Home made it difficult for Marvel to stick to the origins of a significant character in Thunderbolts.

By Lauren Rouse -


Brie Larson Shares Cryptic Post on Social Media - And Now Marvel Fans Are Convinced She's Announcing Her Avengers: Doomsday Casting In Two Days

Brie Larson's latest social post may hint at a new chapter for Captain Marvel.

By Lauren Rouse -


Marvel Studios Reveals First Look at Phase 6's Big Villain

Audiences finally have a better look at The Fantastic Four: First Steps' villain, Galactus.

By Lauren Rouse -


Margot Robbie's The Sims Movie Gets Promising Update from Director

Loki director Kate Herron has spoken about her upcoming The Sims movie.

By Lauren Rouse -


Squid Game Season 3 Trailer: The Real Meaning Behind the Crying Baby

Squid Game's new trailer ended with an ominous sound that hints at more problems for the players in Season 3.

By Lauren Rouse -


Last of Us: Why the WLF Wolves and Seraphites Are Fighting

The Washington Liberation Front and the Seraphites have a violent history in The Last of Us.

By Lauren Rouse -


Last of Us Season 2: 'Feel Her Love' Message Meaning Explained

A strange message plastered over the walls of Seattle in The Last of Us Season 2 has a deeper meaning.

By Lauren Rouse -


Last of Us Season 2 Episode 4 Opening Scene Explained: Why Isaac Betrays FEDRA

Jeffrey Wright's Isaac received an explosive introduction in The Last of Us Season 2.

By Lauren Rouse -


Marvel Confirms 2 Avengers Are in Conflict, And It Could Spark a New MCU Civil War

Following the events of Thunderbolts* a new rivalry between Avengers team members has been born.

By Lauren Rouse -


Ahsoka Season 2 Confirmed to Give 4 Fan-Favorite Characters More Screentime

Fans will see more of these characters when Ahsoka returns for Season 2.

By Lauren Rouse -


Tom Cruise Abandons His Tradition to Prevent 'Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning' from Flopping (Report)

A new report suggests Tom Cruise is getting more involved in the release of his eighth Mission: Impossible film.

By Lauren Rouse -


Every Marvel Movie Releasing After Thunderbolts (Full MCU Schedule)

Marvel fans have four more exciting MCU movies to look forward to after Thunderbolts* concludes Phase 5.

By Lauren Rouse -


1 Major 'Wednesday' Character Will Look Very Different In Season 2 (Photos)

One member of the Addams Family has gone through some changes in the break between Wednesday Seasons 1 and 2.

By Lauren Rouse -


Disney+ Announces First 2 Star Wars Shows Releasing In 2026

The galaxy far, far away is getting off to a stellar start in 2026 with the release of two new Star Wars shows.

By Lauren Rouse -


Sinners Actor Confirms the True Meaning of That Ending

Sinners' ending is open for interpretation, but one actor from the movie thinks it's a positive finale.

By Lauren Rouse -


Marvel Takes Action to Prevent Thunderbolts Movie Spoilers

Marvel is encouraging fans not to ruin Thunderbolts as it puts in place spoiler warnings.

By Lauren Rouse -