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Brad Williams brings comedy tour to Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne
Comedian Brad Williams brings his Tall Tales tour to Embassy Theatre on Thursday.
Michael Kearns, actor who made history with HIV reveal, dies at 76
Michael Kearns, an actor who broke barriers by announcing his HIV status in 1991, has reportedly died. He was 76.
Rahm Emanuel returns to Chicago, talks mentorship, Bears stadium and political future
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel returns to the city he led for eight years, touting his work to expand mentorship programs for local kids.
Rahm Emanuel returns to Chicago, talks mentorship, Bears stadium and political future
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel returns to the city he led for eight years, touting his work to expand mentorship programs for local kids.
Pentagon draws up new Iran strike plans as Trump hesitates
The U.S. military has drafted options for three days of strikes, but in recent months the president has repeatedly vetoed plans to restart the war.
Postseason / ALDS Game 4 chat and discussion, October 8
Good evening, y’all. At this time yesterday, I had posted something along the lines of “can we borrow some runs @/guardians”, because our game was deadlocked and Cleveland was well on their way to the 9-3 final score against the Chicago White Sox to stave off their elimination. Must be fun to score a lot. […]
The Wall Street Veteran Trying to Solve the Pentagon’s Missile Problem
In his first interview on the job, Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, a private-equity billionaire, defended his unusual approach.
Punta Gorda business owner reflects on Hurricane Milton’s devastation two years later
Hurricane Milton brought severe flooding to downtown Punta Gorda two years ago, with storm surge waters rising up to three feet and causing significant damage to local businesses.
Minka Kelly and Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds break up
Minka Kelly and Dan Reynolds have ended their four-year relationship. The two met in 2022 after meeting through a mutual friend, following Reynolds' separation from wife Aja Volkman.
Endeavor Health joins Chicago Breast Cancer Research Consortium
Endeavor Health, which operates Evanston Hospital, is joining the Chicago Breast Cancer Research Consortium, convened by the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer
Skill game crackdown: Lawmakers try again, business group joins push for more time
Harrisburg, Pa. — The fight to keep skill games plugged in past next week isn't over yet.
House Dems reach big in N.C. Are the seats winnable?
The campaign arm of House Democrats, known as the DCCC, has its eyes on some congressional districts in North Carolina that Republicans won by double digits two years ago.
Nationwide sweepstakes offers chance to meet Reba McEntire
DENISON, Texas (KTEN) — Fans of the “Queen of Country” Reba McEntire have a chance to meet her in Los Angeles.
Opinion: ‘Responsible AI’ will be proven on Chicago’s factory floors
Chicago’s AI advantage is its buyers. If artificial intelligence can work in our plants, hospitals and insurance giants, it can work anywhere.
State House District 15 candidates answer questions for residents
SOUTHWEST HARBOR — At a time when Maine residents are facing inflation, high heating costs, and rising property taxes, incumbent Holly Eaton and challenger Clifford Noyes aim to help residents
Cost Concerns Dominate as Public’s Economic Ratings Turn More Negative
The costs of many household essentials are a top economic concern for most Americans – much as they were four years ago on the eve of the last midterm election.
A strange journey indeed: Rocky Horror takes Garfield stage
CHESTERTOWN — Stage rehearsals for the musical thriller “The Rocky Horror Show” are underway at the Garfield Center for the Arts. After months of practice, Monday night marked the cast’s
A Cult Indie Hit From 17 Years Ago Just Announced A Surprise Sequel
Amanita Design has announced Machinarium 2, a follow-up to the adorable 2009 robot adventure
IT firm’s relocation paves way for latest I-88 warehouse project
The plan spotlights two forces reshaping the suburban office market: Companies upgrading their workspace to adapt to post-pandemic usage and real estate firms redeveloping office properties into warehouses.
GEAR UP: The Science of Bikes opens in Casper this weekend
If you’re looking for something to do in Casper this weekend, the Science Zone is opening its newest exhibit, GEAR UP: The Science of Bikes.
Tim Cook Explains Why He Stepped Down as Apple CEO Before iPhone Duo Launch
The Independent's David Phelan on Wednesday interviewed Apple's executive chairman Tim Cook at Apple's U.K. headquarters in the Battersea Power Station, and one of the topics they discussed was John Ternus taking over as Apple's CEO. Ternus, who was previously Apple's hardware engineering chief, succeeded Cook as Apple's CEO on September 1. Cook said the transition "started years ago". "It's been an interesting transition," said Cook.
Laramie County Library to host science fair workshop this Sunday
Laramie County School District 1 is teaming up with the Laramie County Library to help students get their projects off the ground.
Rookies Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain Debut in Bulls' Preseason Action
Chicago's two first-round draft picks powered through slow starts in their first preseason game against the Suns.
Why labor & business groups are teaming up to fight Chicago's data center ban | The Chicago Report
Operating Engineers Local 150 Executive Director Marc Poulos joins the Chicago Report to discuss why trade unions and business groups are uniting to block Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed one-year data center moratorium. He explains why labor believes the pause will stifle job growth and innovation and shares what his alliance is planning to thwart the proposal.
Anthropic Commits $150M To AI Science Mission
Anthropic is committing $150 million over three years to the federal government’s Genesis Mission, expanding access to its Claude AI models.
Patagonia's Sneaky Fall Sale Is an Embarrassment of Cozy Riches
You've never needed a better excuse to grab another fleece jacket.
Endeavor Health joins multi-institution Chicago Breast Cancer Research Consortium
The Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation announced a new partnership with Endeavor Health on Thursday morning.
3 businesses broken into in Southwest Side's Chicago Lawn neighborhood
Someone broke into three different businesses in the Southwest Side's Chicago Lawn neighborhood just east of Marquette Park early Thursday.
Valerie Bertinelli slams critics on Eddie Van Halen's death anniversary
After decades in the spotlight, Valerie Bertinelli has learned to shut out the noise.
Clive Davis' legacy will live on with his Pre-Grammy Gala
The show will go on, even without its colorful maestro.
Ben Affleck gets real about marriage drama
Ben Affleck has his share of crying scenes in movies, even early in his career. The gut-wrenching goodbye of “Armageddon,” for instance, or the dad of “Jersey Girl” talking with
'The Social Reckoning' is all clicks, but no results
It’s been made quite clear that “The Social Reckoning” is not a sequel to “The Social Network” but more of a “companion piece.”
A-State ASBTDC to Offer Free ‘Building Your Business Plan’ Workshop in Paragould
The workshop is designed to provide aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with practical tips and tools for developing a business plan and preparing to start or grow a business in Arkansas.
How old is Earth really? Science and religion offer very different answers
Ask how old Earth is and you will encounter two very different answers. Modern geology places Earth’s formation at roughly 4.54 billion years ago, while some Christians who interpret the creation acco...
Police raids on ex-Prince Andrew's homes were unlawful, court rules
LONDON – Ex-Prince Andrew has won his legal case against British police after challenging raids on two of his royal homes that led to his arrest in February.
How a DSA chapter in Austin is building political power
When the socialists filed into the pews of a church sanctuary in Texas, there were far more than would have attended just two years ago.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs prison release date pushed back by 2 months
Amid reports of Sean "Diddy" Combs' "pampered" lifestyle in prison, his release date has been pushed back.
Retired Middle School Teacher Brings the Science of Organ Donation into Wyoming Classrooms
Donor Alliance's Transplantation Science program gives students and their families a reason to talk about organ, eye and tissue donation
New Mundelein business adds to Lake County’s brewing history; ‘It’s a homecoming’
Owner Ben Fenton, a Mundelein native, says the community’s concentration of breweries makes it a destination for craft fans.
Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson celebrate bromance with new drink
Matthew McConaughey is taking his bromance with Woody Harrelson to the bar and raising a glass to it.
Sandwiches to socialism: How a DSA chapter in Austin is building political power
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — When the socialists filed into the pews of a church sanctuary in Texas, there were far more than would have attended just two years ago.
Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson wins Nobel Prize in literature
Anne Carson, a Canadian poet and essayist, has won the Nobel Prize in literature. The Swedish Academy recognized her for her bold and inventive work that engages with classical traditions
Whoops! Scientists Might Have Had the Origin of Animals All Wrong.
Molecular clocks push the dawn of animal life back to a frozen world 800 million years ago.
Open science is compatible with research security, says Canada’s chief science advisor
Open science is “not incompatible” with research security and science leaders and policymakers should “demystify” the false dichotomy between the two, according to Mona Nemer, Canada’s chief science advisor. More than a decade ago, EU policymakers were promoting open science, open innovation and open collaboration across the world. It was a political movement that aimed to make scientific research, data, software, publications and methodologies transparent, accessible and reusable for everyone.But that rhetoric has changed over the past few years. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Donald Trump came back to power in 2025, international partnerships have become more pragmatic. Countries are trying to implement protectionist policies and governments are increasingly worried about technology espionage. According to Nemer, science can remain open if the sector can come up with improved security protocols that would protect research data from undue manipulation by foreign actors. “If anybody can fiddle with the with the data, then [open science] is actually quite dangerous and quite useless,” she told Science|Business. Universities and research institutions are increasingly vulnerable to attempted espionage and other types of foreign interference. In September, the UK’s domestic counter-intelligence service MI5 issued a security warning against collaborations with the China General Technology Research Institute. And earlier this year, Germany’s Helmholtz Center for Information Security was criticised by federal research minister Dorothee Bär, who told a parliamentary hearing that “existing rules and systems” at the institute “were not suitable” for preventing leaks to China. According to Nemer, universities and research institutions should perhaps follow the example of the private sector, as companies have been able to safeguard their research while still publishing results. “I think that there is a level of research security hygiene that researchers and institutions need to just adopt,” she said. “You don't have to tell Sanofi or IBM how to safeguard their research, which they end up publishing anyway.”While certain areas of research will not be open for collaboration with certain partners, in other areas cooperation is necessary even with researchers based in adversarial countries. “I stress this because politics change,” she said. “Science and politics don't make for good fellows, and whether we like it or not, politics will influence certain things.”Researchers will play an important role in “protecting the integrity of science,” said Nemer. “I think that it's time that there's a commitment to a certain scientific compact, so that citizens don't think that science is actually an open door for espionage and for anti-nationalism.”New partnershipsNemer spoke with Science|Business on the margins of the Hamburg Science Summit on September 17, the day when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for increased cooperation with the EU, including in science and technology. Canada is looking to strengthen ties with partners in other corners of the world, after the Trump administration threatened to put tariffs on Canadian goods and services and even openly suggested Canada could become the 51st state. In parallel, the US government has indicated it wants to retreat from international science projects, including US collaboration with Europe’s CERN particle accelerator and other big science labs.Related articlesThe stats we need to better understand R&DCanada looks to deepen research and education links with the EUCan researchers trust that AI models won’t leak their ideas?Nemer said the US is still a science “powerhouse,” but Canada and Europe will have to work closely together on global challenges. “It’s important for both [sides], but I think it's also important for the rest of the world, because the cut in funding for development, in health, in regions like Africa and other places, have dramatic effects.” The Trump administration is also planning a review of the Nelson memo, a Biden-era document that mandated that results of federally funded research would be openly available. With that idea being called into question, Nemer said it could be “very disruptive” to scientific collaborations and could jeopardise research on climate change, the Arctic and global health. “When your collaborator suddenly tells you I'm not going to share the data with you as a researcher, if this happens, I think it's very worrisome,” she said. “I'm certainly hoping that a lot of the Canadian institutions, funders, researchers, have started looking at joining forces on databases and using more European research infrastructures,” Nemer added.
Gibelyou joins Musical Moments series on Oct. 16
GENEVA — The Musical Moments recital series at the Geneva Public Library will feature classical guitarist Dr. Erik Gibelyou Oct. 16.
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Verity’
“Verity” wishes it was a twisty thriller. It is indeed twisty, but it doesn’t have the heart to be a thriller.
Locally authored ‘The Other Disney’ discovers gold, twice
SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY — “The Other Disney,” a novel by Hallstead physician-author Dr. Bernard Leo Remakus, tells the story of a father, who has just lost his job, and a resourceful
How therapists are handling patients discussing AI
Therapists don’t want to “shame” patients who use the tool.
Google to pull back the curtain on Thompson Center transformation
In an exclusive Crain's event, Google execs will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the high-profile revamp.
Meet the Candidate: Jerry Schillinger
There are two candidates for Montana House District 34 on the general election ballot: incumbent Jerry Schillinger, a Republican, and Jasmine Erickson, a Democrat.
Abbott Health & Fitness Expo for 2026 Chicago Marathon begins: Hours, packet pick-up, location
The free, 3-day event not only serves as packet and bag pick-up, but offers participants -- and the public -- the chance to dive into the running world.
PepsiCo to cut costs as weak N.America business hurts annual core profit forecast
Oct 8 (Reuters) - PepsiCo said on Thursday it would pursue additional cost cuts after lowering its annual core profit forecast due to sluggish demand for its snacks and beverages
Advocates: CPS can lead on universal mental health screening. Will it?
Done well, universal mental health screenings will provide the first population-level map of where youth mental health needs actually sit.
Political homelessness is freeing
In times of political homelessness, Jews can always turn to Judaism for guidance.
Sonics artifacts going on display at MOHAI for NBA’s possible return
SEATTLE — When the SuperSonics left nearly 20 years ago, the artifacts that remained behind in Seattle from 41 years of history were entrusted to the Museum of History &
F1: Teams to discuss potential budget cap changes
In wake of James Vowles' recent criticisms of the budget cap, Formula 1 is set to evaluate changes to the spending limit at the next F1 Commission meeting. As it stands, all teams are required to spend within a maximum limit of $215 million. The budget cap was introduced several years ago to prevent top …
Nevada City Rotary's Pumpkins Palooza Family Celebration returns Oct. 15
Halloween spirit is officially back in the air as Nevada City Rotary announces the return of the Pumpkins Palooza Family Celebration, a live family celebration, scrumptious raffle drawings, and auctions
Entertainment
Playhouse at McConnellstown is seeking Huntingdon County food and beverage establishments to partner in its 2026 “Toast the Show: Themed Libations and Local Bites” promotion, which invites local businesses to
IMS has helping farmers use water efficiently down to a science
CASA GRANDE — Whether he’s standing in a cotton field analyzing irrigation systems or compiling a report, Eddie Enriquez and his team spend their days focused on helping farmers work
Indian actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar dies at 75
Acclaimed Indian actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar has died at his home in Goa. He was 75. The Press Trust of India reports that Patekar died of a suspected cardiac
Catching up with: Vestis Manufacturing Inc.
Thirteen years ago, Vestis Manufacturing Inc. was a five-person operation producing and installing fabric awnings for homes and businesses within 100 miles of Spokane. Today, Vestis focuses on manufacturing aluminum canopies, louvered sunshades, and bolt-on balconies for commercial clients…
Open Studios Tour of Nevada County returns
The 31st annual Open Studios Tour of Nevada County is happening October 10-11 and 17-18 with over 90 studios and over 100 artists participating this year. Free tour guides are
Letter: People over politics
This is regarding Mary Schamehorn’s As I See It column published in the September 29 issue of The World.
Round Up: The Reviews For Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Are In
Here's what the critics think
Yankees left with 'broken clubhouse' after agonizing postseason sweep
Still without Aaron Judge, the Yankees offense went silent against the Rays.
Red Magic 12 Pro+ full design revealed ahead of October 15 launch
Red Magic 12 Pro+ gets a full-screen display, flat rear design, Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and advanced cooling.
Suns HC Jordan Ott provides update on Miles Bridges
CHICAGO — The Phoenix Suns may have dodged a bullet with Miles Bridges after he left Wednesday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls due to injury. Oct 7, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Miles Bridges (22) warms up prior to a preseason game against the Chicago Bulls at United Center.
Bollywood actor Nana Patekar dies at 75
MUMBAI, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Nana Patekar, a veteran Indian actor known for his fiery performances in Bollywood films and theatre, died on Thursday aged 75, local media reported.
holding space in music therapy for patients with dementia
They call it music therapy, which is too imprecise a term to describe what really happens sometimes, when music touches a person sliding into eternity through a gradually darkening tunnel
Naples Film Festival highlights indie films and new talent
Naples International Film Festival Producer Shannon Franklin grew up in Naples and got her theater degree from the University of Florida, but her area code is all “Hollywood.”
Chicago Bulls Defeat Phoenix Suns, 121-117, in Preseason Opener
Rookies Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain and Tobe Awaka each had their moments in the Bulls' first preseason victory.
The Herald's weekly entertainment picks
Looking to be entertained from Thursday, Oct. 8, through Wednesday, Oct. 14? Check out the Skagit Valley Herald’s weekly recommendations.
Rahm Emanuel reveals his political plans
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel tells Sean Hannity DSA candidates are in a ‘separate party’ on a new episode of ‘Hang Out with Sean Hannity.’
Cleveland Guardians Announce Starting Pitcher for ALDS Game 4
Parker Messick will take the ball for the Cleveland Guardians in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox.
Green Bay Packers add linebacker ahead of Week 5 game vs. Chicago Bears
The Green Bay Packers have been looking to find a way to get some additional depth at the linebacker position this season. With the defense running a 3-4 scheme, having an excellent linebacking core is critical for success. However, they saw Edgerrin Cooper suffer a torn Achilles, depleting their depth significantly. The front office was [...]
'Survivor 51' recap. One player quits and another abandons his tribe
Warning: The following contains major spoilers for the Wednesday, Oct. 7, episode of "Survivor 51." "Survivor" blindsides are in full swing during the open era.
Gas, health care, utilities: high costs squeeze US midterm voters
Former US steelworker Denise Barber retired three years ago, but steep gasoline prices and family healthcare needs are making the Ohio resident consider returning to part-time work to make ends meet."...
Has Ian Happ Played His Last Game with the Cubs?
Ian Happ's journey with the Chicago Cubs has been an interesting one, to say the least. He has served as one of the key leaders over the past few seasons. However, after a rough 2026 season, the future is unclear. Now, Chicago needs to look ahead to the future after their bats went quiet in …
Ben Johnson Makes Honest Admission on Packers QB Jordan Love
One of the biggest debates going on between Chicago Bears fans and Green Bay Packers fans is who has the better franchise quarterback. After years of the Packers having the edge, former No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams has finally given Chicago something to brag about. However, Bears head coach Ben Johnson made it clear […] The post Ben Johnson Makes Honest Admission on Packers QB Jordan Love appeared first on HEAVY.
Old Town Trick-or-Treat returns, business sought
Halloween fun returns to Old Town Lompoc on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 12–3 p.m., featuring for treats, games, music, costumes, and "plenty of spooky fun for the whole family," the
Glen Powell reveals he's not 'a political person'
Glen Powell might have political ties through his family, but the Hollywood leading man finds that his "calling is elsewhere."
Arkansas political leaders host remembrance ceremony to honor victims of October 7th, 2023 attack in Israel
Three years ago today, Israel experienced the deadliest terrorist attack in the nation's history, when Hamas and allied militant groups launched an attack and invasion that killed approximately 1,200 Israeli's, and resulted in 251 being taken hostage.
Chicago business owners push back on proposed ordinance targeting ‘troubled’ businesses
Some aldermen see their ordinance as a potential solution to crack down on criminal activity, and businesses that are accused of enabling criminal activity.
Neanderthal woodworking was far more advanced than we thought, new study shows
Nearly 600 wooden remains from Abric Romaní show Neanderthals used wood for spears and shelter structures between 62,000 and 40,000 years ago.
Andrew Scott's AIDS drama 'Elsinore' kicks off London Film Festival
By Hanna Rantala LONDON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Actor Andrew Scott says the biographical drama "Elsinore", which opened the 2026 London Film Festival on Wednesday, is an ode to living
Award-winning Kashmiri filmmaker Arfat Sheikh detained by US immigration authorities
By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - An award-winning filmmaker whose work has explored conflict in his native Kashmir has been detained by US immigration officials after legally coming
Four Ohio college basketball teams play Outdoor exhibition
CareSource Invitational event University of Dayton head coach Anthony Grant started four years ago after his daughter died by suicide.
Review: Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen (PS5) - Epic Expansion Is Peak Dragon's Dogma
Top Dogma
Reviewing the Bears’ PFN grades from Week 4 vs. Jets
After the Bears’ win over the Eagles, we look at how PFN scored each of Chicago’s starters in Week 3.
Valerie Bertinelli slams critics of her Eddie Van Halen posts
After decades in the spotlight, Valerie Bertinelli has learned to shut out the noise.
‘What happens inside these walls matters’: Hinds Community College leaders mark opening of new Health Sciences Complex
The college broke ground on the project two years ago.
Who Won August and September: Original Films or Franchises?
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) I just heard someone say that if you’re reading a pundit or data analyst, and they don’t tell you that they got anything wrong, they’re not a pundit but an “influencer”. I agree with that. You have to tell your audience when you get things wrong, or they won’t (or shouldn’t) trust you as much. Today, we’ve got another edition of “What I Got Right, What I Got Wrong”. In general, I’m patting myself on the back (and patting very hard) about a few things like IP at the box office, LIV golf, horror films, crowdfunding movies, superheroes, and old people going to the theaters. That said, I also made a couple of data mistakes on the streaming bubble popping and HBO’s datecdotes, so I’m not perfect. But first, I need your feedback... Subscribe Follow-Ups: What Should We Call Mid-Budget Movies Which Aren’t Cinematic Enough for Theaters But Are Too Expensive to Make Money on Streaming? After I asked for feedback on what we should call straight-to-streaming films that are too big to pencil out on streaming but not really big enough to resonate in theaters, I got some great suggestions from you all, including... “Moldilocks” from John Aboud “Little Big Indie” from Travis Frick1 “Midflicks” from Jonathan Funke. “Extra-Medium” from Jona Nwuke. (Read the explanation in the footnote.) Between these and Brandon Katz—who suggested “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”—we’ve got some excellent suggestions. And they’re better than my suggestion, the “Streaming Budget Dead Zone”, so let’s take a poll! The winning entry becomes the new term. Loading... RIGHT: LIV Golf is Fully Bankrupt…Is Anyone Else Next? A few years ago, I was always a bit perplexed at all the articles I’d read praising LIV Golf and their strategy to disrupt the PGA. LIV Golf, a brand new professional golf league, offered PGA stars ten times what they made on the PGA Tour to join their new league. And folks praised this strategy for its initial “success” in that a lot of big names did indeed leave the PGA. Yeah, of course the players came over. LIV Golf paid them so, so, so much more! But LIV Golf hadn’t discovered a way to increase potential revenue. So think about this in basic business terms… They paid much more in costs… …but had no real way to increase revenue. That’s not a strategy! That’s deficit financing. It won’t work unless you bankrupt the competition (and then turn around and pay those same golfers much, much less). It’s not a sustainable strategy and only lasts as long as the company/person/nation backing it decides they’re cool with losing money. For LIV Golf, that meant Middle East oil wealth, in particular Saudi Arabian money. Clearly, the current Iran War has hurt Middle East finances, so they need to trim their more exorbitant spending. And LIV Golf was part of that trimming. This should be a major warning for others. TGL’s parent company, TMRW Sports, just got a $1 billion valuation, despite TGL’s (the indoor golf league) horrible TV viewership of less than half a million viewers per match. Unrivaled, the women’s basketball league, just secured a $650 valuation, despite its horrible TV viewership and a new rival (Project B) entering the scene next year. To relate this to streaming, Hollywood should ask which streamers may have wealthy patrons funding their losses. (Let’s be clear: Google, Amazon and Apple.) Could those patrons lose their appetite? For Amazon, probably not. But Apple has a new boss, so maybe! WRONG: My Analysis of the Streaming Bubble Was Missing a Week I’m going to be congratulating myself a lot today, but I make mistakes too, like this data goof. When I last compiled the data on the decline in TV shows, I was missing one week at the end of June. If you look at the first image, you can see that one week was mislabelled as “July”. Mainly, this image got updated to show a 27% decline, not 29%: This change doesn’t really impact the overall analysis, but it is two percent better. By the way, through the third quarter, the decline increased and it’s now a 30% decrease since 2022. (I’ll write/visualize this in an upcoming article.) But I want you to trust me and my data. Especially these days, when many people are using LLMs that I know are inserting faulty data into their charts, I want to keep earning my audience’s faith. So that’s the accurate data. RIGHT: IP Remains Very, Very Popular In July, I wrote a giant (and I mean giant) article on Backrooms, Obsession, and the box office, going over what we know, what we don’t know about what works in theaters, looking at YouTubers, IP, the horror genre, comic book movies, and a whole lot more. The month of August really tested a lot of my theses and, being honest, mostly supported my arguments. Let’s start with IP. Looking at 8-Aug (the weekend after Spider-Man: Brand New Day came out) to 18-Sep (the weekend that Resident Evil came out, which I think provides a nice bookend to this time period), there were seven films based on pre-existing IP: Resident Evil (2026) ($126 million) Practical Magic 2 ($65 million) _Insidious: Out of the Furthe_r ($65 million) Coyote Vs. Acme ($59 million) Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie ($53 million) Tony ($15 million) Super Troopers 3 ($7 million) Compare those to the notable original films from the past month—I actually could have included more movies, but here are just thirteen, bringing us to an even twenty films—including.... The End of Oak Street ($54 million) Buddy ($26 million) Mutiny ($15 million) By Any Means ($15 million) The Dog Stars ($14 million) Runner ($14 million) One Night Only ($11 million) Hope ($8 million) Spa Weekend ($7 million) The Uprising ($6 million) Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma ($6 million) Onslaught ($3 million) Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man ($2.8 million) Here’s that in chart form: Five of the top six films in this time period were all based on IP. I made a big chart of films that grossed over $200 million at the box office before Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey hit theaters. Let’s update that chart! By the way, if you want to see how I categorized each film—so another bar chart—here it is: I know that many of my fellow critics/pundits/analysts dislike films based on IP and how Hollywood is making so many of them. And I’m sympathetic to this point of view. As I’ve written many, many times before, you need a balance between existing franchises, new IP, and original films. And Hollywood clearly needs to make more films like Resident Evil (a well-made film from a visionary director) and fewer Practical Magic 2’s (which didn’t get critical or customer buzz). But at some point, critics and pundits need to contend with what audiences are telling them: Movie-goers aren’t showing up to original films. Audiences are speaking with their dollars, telling you they want more IP and franchises. You can try to convince studio heads to make fewer IP-based films and franchises, but the data and numbers aren’t there. Instead, critics need to work harder to convince audiences to show up for original films. Aim your ire/concern at the average person, not studio heads.2 Because they’re just making the films that audiences are telling them to make. WRONG: Original Horror Films Didn’t Break Out I’ll be honest, even though I wrote an article casting some skepticism on the horror genre in July, if you asked me to make a prediction, I would have predicted that, in August, a new, original horror film would have blown up. No, seriously, I just assumed that Obsession and Backrooms presaged a change in audience behavior. But none of the buzzy new original horror films from August—Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Onslaught (not an action film in spite of the ads), The End of Oak Street, Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man, or _Buddy—_broke out. To be clear, exactly one of those films (Buddy) had good “ROI”, but again—I try to be specific in my language—none were “popular” in any broad sense of the word. None of them will be “saving” movies theaters like Backrooms or _Obsession_helped save the summer. The new Insidious film and Resident Evil, both based on IP, were far and away the biggest horror films since July. (We’ll see if this changes in October/Halloween season.) RIGHT: Stay Skeptical about Crowdfunding... I’ve long been skeptical about crowd-investing platforms as one of Hollywood’s saviors, mainly because there’s so much hype/buzz. People need to stay more skeptical about more things, explaining both the potential upside but also the downsides. In particular, the media often hypes crowdfunding at the start and never checks in on the actual results after they’ve come in later. And August gave us our first update! _Ice Cream Man—_directed by Eli Roth—grossed $6 million off of a $5.5 million budget. This is a production of The Horror Section, which was one of the first “crowd investing” studios with 2,400 investors, which means that 2,400 investors probably lost money. They certainly aren’t getting as great of returns as if they had just invested their dollars in the stock market. Hopefully Stiletto (Tagline: “Someone’s Going to Make it Rain Blood!”) does better next month. WRONG: Another Data Goof Here’s another data error. When the first episode of House of the Dragon came out, HBO put out that it had 21.5 million viewers in the first three days, and I read that to mean in the US…but no, it was global. So my US-only datecdotes charts shouldn’t have included it. We never got US-only numbers for the first episode, but for the final episode, HBO put out that it had 11 million US viewers. (And that global dropped to 21 million viewers.) Here’s the updated chart (which I’ve since used in the Streaming Ratings Report): Still, this show is absolutely huge. RIGHT: Superhero Films Remain Very, Very Popular After Supergirl flopped, I read a few takes that “comic book movies are going the way of the Western”. Post-Spider-Man: Brand New Day, that take didn’t age well. To be fair, I have a very nuanced take on the superhero genre right now; it’s down right now, for a lot of reasons. But it’s not “dead”. Maybe _Spider-_Man is just a really popular character? I saw that take, and it’s a fair counter-argument. (But pundits arguing that superhero movies were dead should have mentioned this $1.5 billion counter-argument…) But is it just Spider-Man? The next Avengers film already has $50 million in pre-sales (and I was skeptical that that film would do well) and the Avengers: End Game re-release topped the box office two weekends ago (over three original films). And I wouldn’t bet against Batman or Superman. So maybe it’s just Spider-Man, Batman, Superman and the Avengers. Oh, and Deadpool, of course. And Black Panther. And Wolverine. And probably the X-Men. Plus a well-made Wonder Woman or the Hulk film could break out. But that’s it! It’s just those ten characters/teams. Oh, what’s that? Lanterns is also doing well on HBO? (See previous section…) To be fair, I’m actually pretty sympathetic to the argument that more popular characters—like Spider-Man and Batman—anchor more popular films. In fact, I made that exact argument three years ago when I first wrote about the “Marvel-cession”. In many ways, you can blame The Guardians of the Galaxy for fooling Marvel Studios (and the rest of us) into believing that any character could pop. It turns out, the list of iconic characters is probably smaller than most people think. But it’s probably too early to say that superhero films and comic book movies are dead unless “death” means a slight decline over a longtime. RIGHT: Who Killed Theaters? Old People I get frustrated whenever I see headlines or analysis about how young people are “returning” to theaters. As I’ve detailed(for years), young people have always powered the US box office, despite narratives about “kids these days” and their “phones”. Really, what’s changed post-2020/pandemic is that old people aren’t going to the movies nearly as much. This summer, I saw a movie (from an older director) in a theater near a retirement community, and multiple older people at the theater were talking about how this was their first time seeing a movie in years. I dislike personal anecdotes, so YouGov can fill in the data, best summarized by this headline: “Who killed movie theaters? Not the youths”. According to them, 64% of people aged 18-29 have seen a movie in the last year, but only 30% of 65-and-older. 20% of 18-29 have seen a movie in theaters in the last week and 42% in the last month. Here’s the polling data: Most concerning? Many Americans (17%) think theaters are a worse or much worse experience than watching films at home. Slight WRONG: Hadestown Opens Big A live theater capture of the Broadway musical, Hadestown, made $20 million at the US box office, which begs the question: was I wrong to be skeptical about musicals a few years ago? Yes and no. On the one hand, $20 million is a far cry from being “popular”, so yeah, the genre isn’t that popular overall and Hadestown is one of the more popular musicals from recent years (i.e. the “Taylor Swift Data Fallacy” in action). On the other, I doubt filming this cost all that much, and I don’t think that they spent much on marketing, so this is a good source of ancillary revenue. Smaller Updates WRONG: As I mentioned in a Streaming Ratings Report, I underestimated the budget for Enola Holmes 3. It probably cost more like $50 million, if not more. But... I’m not sure that it really matters? At sub-10 million hours, prices have to come down to make this work. WRONG: Netflix is giving Ink a 27-day in theaters! To quote the kids/YouTubers these days, let’s go! Now I might actually have a chance to see Danny Boyle’s latest in theaters. I’d complained about this in a “Coming Soon” section, but I was heartened to read that Netflix is giving multiple films longer theatrical windows this year. RIGHT: Netflix is sending 4-5 films per year to theaters. Netflix is slowly but surely sending more and more films to theaters, as I cautiously predicted earlier this year. For now, it’s just three big films and a number of awards contenders, but still, this is great news. And they’ll be releasing box office grosses! Just this week, Ted Sarandos confirmed that KPop Demon Hunters 2 will come to theaters (and my guess is it performs in the box office top ten at a minimum). WRONG: Angel has 3 million subscribers! How do I know this? Well, they told Deadline, who reported it. I marked this as “wrong”, since they’ve doubled their subscribers in one year but, you know, they don’t really have a hit film to speak of and they’re still losing money. WRONG: Furious was only renewed for one more season. I accidentally wrote “two more seasons” in my latest “Renewals, Cancellations, Un-Orders and Removals Update”. RIGHT: House of David is ending with its third season. In July, Prime Video renewed House of David for a third season, as I just wrote in my latest “Renewals and Cancellations” report. Well, now it’s ending after that third season. Why? As I’ve been writing, its viewership wasn’t great. I got feedback that this show didn’t cost very much, but it cost enough that its limited viewership didn’t save it. WRONG: Adults was a Hulu original! So I missed Adults when it first came out last year; I saw that it aired on FX and just assumed that it was a linear-first program. Turns out, it aired three episodes on FX, but binge-released the rest of its episodes the next day on Hulu. Huh. So I should have covered it last year! But I just wrote about it. 1 “When I was a kid in the 90s, if you wore a t-shirt to school that wasn’t too big and also wasn’t too small, but somehow didn’t quite fit, we’d say you were wearing an “extra-medium” shirt.” 2 As always, a huge exception is Disney, which barely makes anything original anymore.
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