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New Business: Mac Daddies to take over Derry spot; Dube Dogs...
Mac Daddies will replace the Hare of the Dawg in downtown Derry in early November, while Dube Dogs has reopened in Manchester’s Millyard after a two-year break.
Anime News, Top Stories & In-Depth Anime Insights
Stay on top of anime news and updates straight out of Japan with Crunchyroll News. From breaking stories to evergreen content, get all your anime and manga news updates in one place. You heard it here first!
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Debating Prop 144
A first for us – this week’s podcast is a debate on Prop 144, which would change mail-in voting in Arizona. Greg Blackie of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club is for, Randy Keating of “No on Prop 144” is against. Then Dennis and Colin look back at a contentious interview with Congressman Andy Biggs.
Vegas-level entertainment brings limitless excitement to Central California
Your next night out starts at Tachi Palace Casino Resort!
Vibe-Coded Browser Ports Of Games Work Perfectly, Unfortunately
Call of Duty: Black Ops, Halo: CE, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Skate 3 and many more titles have been decompiled and ported to web browsers overnight
Candidates for Attorney General share vision of leadership for DOJ
Democratic incumbent Josh Kaul is being challenged for the second consecutive election cycle by Republican Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney.
2026 Week 6 Preview: Tulane Green Wave @ Army Black Knights
Two high-powered rushing attacks meet in West Point for the first time since the 2024 American title game.
Magic's Sean Sweeney Talks Preseason Win, Injury Updates
Orlando Magic coach Sean Sweeney had a lot of good things to say about the team after a preseason win over the Memphis Grizzlies. He also provided injury updates on Anthony Black and Noah Penda.
Care before crisis
The recent murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children, focused national attention on maternal mental health and the structures — or lack thereof — we have in place to support it.
Assistant Professor of Climate Data Science | The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
Boston University invites applications for a faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Environment. This tenure-track position in Climate Data Science , beginning on July 1, 2027, is part of the ongoing cluster hire in Environmental Data Science and complements faculty searches within the Faculty of Computing and Data Science.rnrnWe particularly welcome candidates whose research focuses on the physical basis of climate, climate variability, and climate change, and who employ data science methodologies to deepen our understanding of how the climate system is changing and how these changes affect the global environment. Areas of interest include—but are not limited to—the changing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events; interactions between the atmosphere and terrestrial, oceanic, biospheric, and cryospheric systems; and improved understanding of Earth system predictability at seasonal, decadal, and longer time scales. We envision this position playing a central role in connecting and enhancing existing departmental strengths in climate-related research and teaching, including terrestrial and marine biogeosciences, land surface and coastal processes, paleoclimatology, energy and economic policy, and environmental sustainability. This faculty member will also contribute to university-wide interdisciplinary initiatives — including the Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health (URBAN) program, the Institute for Global Sustainability, and the Center for Climate and Health at the School of Public Health — and is expected to develop collaborative ties with the Faculty of Computing and Data Sciences, where shared interests in machine learning, large-scale data analytics, and Earth system modeling provide natural ground for joint advising, co-teaching, and grant development. This hire reflects our commitment to advancing interdisciplinary scholarship at the intersection of climate and data science. This position contributes to the University convergence themes of Global Sustainability as well as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computing that are core pillars of BU's cross-disciplinary research priorities.rnrn Position Qualifications:rn Candidates should have a PhD or equivalent degree, demonstrated ability to obtain external funding to support their program of research and scholarship, and a commitment to excellence and innovation in teaching, education, and mentorship of students. The successful applicant will be expected to supervise graduate research in Ph.D. programs, teach at all levels in the Earth Environment curriculum, and maintain an externally funded research program. We seek applicants whose research complement strengths in the Department and around the University. For more information about the Department, see
Dr. André Carrington on audiofuturism: the Black history of science fiction radio drama, Oct. 16
“Audiofuturism: Science Fiction Radio Drama and the Black Fantastic Imagination” chronicles the largely understudied history of audio science fiction made for Black creators for Black audiences.
Chappell Roan reveals Tinashe, MUNA and more for LA benefit shows
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chappell Roan has revealed the lineup for her upcoming Super Graphic Spectacular benefit concerts in Los Angeles, with Tinashe, Lola Young, MUNA and Caroline Polachek among the
How Baton Rouge businesses are putting AI to work
Artificial intelligence is moving faster than many businesses anticipated, forcing leaders to continually rethink how their organizations adopt the technology, train employees and improve efficiency. For Baton Rouge companies, the challenge is not simply implementing AI, but finding practical ways to integrate it into everyday operations. As Business Report writes in its Best Places to […]
Netflix’s Summer of Bummer
(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.) Today, I’ve got a guest post from longtime friend of the newsletter, Brandon Katz. I’ve been trying to find time all summer to look at Netflix’s straight-to-streaming film slate, but between a pre-planned trip and Nielsen moving up their streaming data timeline, I’ve been swamped. So I reached out to Brandon, one of my favorite fellow analysts, to write about it. And I feel like he captured the tone and data focus of the newsletter perfectly. You can connect with Brandon on LinkedIn and Twitter. Enjoy! Don’t worry, folks. You’re in safe hands with me. To ease any anxieties about an interloper in ESG’s domain, I’ll start by stealing one of his best framing devices: headlines. Box office flops are covered in the same way the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles eye pizza: with cartoonish insatiability. I would know. I’m a former reporter who wrote nearly identical headlines: Yet, intentionally or not, streaming misses get treated with kids gloves, filtered through a rosy lens: In the last six years, U.S. streaming viewership has become nearly as transparent as the box office, but the data often arrives weeks later, in a number of less intuitive metrics, and with nary an official budget to be found. This plays into the Wall Street-whispering narratives major streamers have been cultivating for years. They get a pass in a way that theatrical studios simply don’t. Subscribe Netflix’s Summer Slate Not a single Netflix original film released between May and August this year opened above 20 million U.S. TV hours, per Nielsen. That benchmark usually serves as the EntStrategyGuy’s floor for a streaming hit on Netflix. None of these films enjoyed a hit-cementing single week of 20-plus million hours during their runs. Netflix’s two best films were true crime docs, Maternal Instinct (16.5 million hours) and The Crash (19.7 million), the best overall week for a film this summer. Great for most other streamers, but not necessarily what we’re used to seeing from Netflix. For an overly-dramatic comparison, Happy Gilmore 2 opened last summer to around 47 million hours (celebrity cameos, baby!). Zooming out, the picture looks even worse. In 2026, Netflix’s five biggest scripted summer films posted the lowest average (28.6 million hours) and median (28.8 million hours) eight-week viewership totals of the past four years. Now, it’s unrealistic and unfair to expect Netflix to deliver a _KPop Demon Hunters-_sized hit every year. But it’s also not ideal to see the size of their hits shrinking over the last few summers. Let’s quickly run through some of the notable summer misses. Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein’s perfectly fine romcom, Office Romance, fell off the charts after 20 million hours in its first two weeks. Top films usually last for four-plus weeks. Starry titles ideally don’t decay that fast either. Homegrown star Millie Bobby Brown couldn’t prevent the snappy Enola Holmes franchise from diminishing returns. At 14.3 million U.S. hours, the third film posted roughly half of what the first two films did in their first two weeks. What’s on Netflix calculated that per-day global views were down nearly 60% from the second movie. The Whisper Man did okay with more than 36 million hours over its first four weeks. But I expected a little more juice from a film featuring Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, and Adam Scott. Kevin Hart’s Ladies First collected just 11.2 million hours total across two weeks. That’s a big miss for one of Netflix’s go-to stars. Plopping into the same bucket are Sunny Sandler’s Don’t Say Good Luck (10.3 million in two weeks) and John Cena’s Little Brother (17.5 million). Meanwhile, English-language originals Color Book (June 19), In the Hand of Dante (June 24) and Heartstopper Forever (July 17) never sniffed Nielsen’s Top 10 at all, despite needing only 2 to 5 million hours to land in the top ten most weeks. (By my count, eleven English-language scripted original films released between May and August did chart). It’s only fair to mention that Swapped (1-May) posted nearly 42 million U.S. hours over five weeks (the longest Netflix original run this summer) and is currently their eighth most-watched English-language film ever worldwide. Remarkably Bright Creatures (37 million, 4 weeks) and Voicemails for Isabelle (27 million, 4 weeks) weren’t bombs either. Still, overall, I think it’s fair to say this was a quieter summer season than we’re used to seeing from the market-leader. You might not realize that given the language commonly used in public analysis. The Twist Despite the starkly black-and-white tone of the coverage, here’s the twist: when many box office bombs arrive on streaming, their viewership looks a whole lot like many of Netflix’s supposedly successful summer releases. Hmm, where have we heard that one before? Masters of the Universe topped out at $65 million stateside against a $170 million budget_._ I’ll admit, Skeletor ripping sleeveless curls as a gym bro and bodyslamming Adam’s co-workers was funny. But, much to the chagrin of my bank account, my laughter doesn’t launch franchises. Yet the He-Man reboot opened to 19.6 million hours (from a Wednesday five-day opening instead of just one weekend), on par with Hoppers on Disney+ (19.4 million). It put up nearly 47 million hours over its first six weeks, bigger than all of Netflix’s summer releases. Pretty darn healthy and likely to land among the 25 most-watched movies on streaming this year. Sticking with Amazon, The Sheep Detectives just barely broke even at the box office with $133 million worldwide (and only $66 million domestic). I never expected cloven-hooved, cud-chewing mammals to be able to bring me to tears. Yet that’s exactly how I found myself at the end of this surprisingly affecting movie (#NoShame). It was likely the unexpected quality in a family-friendly film that powered its streaming over-performance. Sheep Detectives delivered a solid run for Prime video netting 26.2 million hours! How about franchise IP? Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu had the lowest opening ($81 million) and lowest-grossing Disney-era live-action Star Wars film ($178 million domestic). One day before release, its Heat score (19.8%)—audiences who list their interest as a 7/7—fell behind blockbusters Wicked (21%), Superman (23%), Fantastic Four: First Steps (23%), Michael (23%), Toy Story 5 (26%) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (27%), according to Greenlight Analytics. The urgent enthusiasm just wasn’t there. On streaming, Mando opened to weeks of 12.1 million, 6.1 million and 2.7 million hours (21 million total) over its first three frames. Not the numbers Lucasfilm was hoping for nor the numbers of a streaming hit. But they’re in the same vicinity as some Netflix summer releases with $345 million at the global box office to offset a smidgen of the pain. Final Thoughts So why oh why does this nuance gap exist? Four key reasons: Data Literacy: A “$100 million opening” just makes sense. After decades of box office reporting, even casual movie fans are well-versed in the benchmarks of hits and home runs. There’s an immediate shorthand. But “16.5 million” hours doesn’t land nearly as cleanly. Despite leaps of progress, the streaming ratings era is still in its infancy compared to theatrical. The EntStrategyGuy and I met thanks to a late 2010s group chat of data nerds hungry to find a shred of certainty in nebulous streaming performance. I’m not surprised to see “No. 1 on Netflix” still getting misconstrued out in the wild. Timing: By Friday morning, we have the box office’s Thursday night previews totaled, allowing us to better project the weekend’s expectations. From there, ticket sales are reported daily. By Sunday, the film’s fate is usually finalized, at least in terms of public perception. In streaming, Nielsen recently improved its delay to…two weeks. The medium isn’t forced to contend with instant gratification as harshly. Financials: Theatrical film budgets are a mere Google away. Profit and loss is calculated in the cold and unforgiving naked light of day for all to see. But finding the vast majority of streaming exclusive movie budgets requires the forensic investigation skills of a Criminal Minds detective. Also, it’s very difficult to calculate how much revenue/value a straight-to-streaming films provides a streamer. This is why there are so few stories about streaming original movies “losing X amount of money”. On top of that, marketing budgets are far greater for theatrical movies than streaming exclusive movies, which leads to earlier and better awareness. This then translates to a wider pool of potential interest. Narrative Control: Netflix is the only major streaming service to publish weekly first-hand viewership data and annual engagement reports. Naturally, some headlines borrow their first-hand framing**.** Other streamers benefit from their comparative lack of transparency. They may occasionally announce vague performance platitudes such as Apple TV’s Mayday becoming its “biggest film debut on the platform to date over its first 18 days,” and that it ranked No. 1 with left-handed viewers in its first weekend. (Fine, I made up that second one). But, for the most part, they keep first-hand viewership shrouded in mystery to avoid bad press. Especially for outlets that demand multiple articles per day from their writers, it’s an easy (and understandable) way for some reporters to hit their daily article quota by just repeating what the streamers have told them. TL:DR version: Streaming-exclusive movies are asked to do different things than theatrical movies, but that doesn’t mean they should escape judgment. Both still need to draw enough eyeballs to justify their cost within the proper performance contexts. The more cleanly we can inject a little nuance into streaming analysis, the better we’ll understand the audience and content trends that drive this industry. And that’s what all of this is really about: knowing what audiences actually want! Brandon Katz is the Director of Insights & Content Strategy at Greenlight Analytics where he focuses on evaluating the ever-fluid media landscape to unearth understanding, opportunity and value. Greenlight Analytics is the entertainment intelligence consulting company redefining how Hollywood finds, understands, and activates audiences. Prior to joining Greenlight Analytics, he served as the senior entertainment industry strategist at Parrot Analytics, and as a full-time entertainment industry reporter covering the Xs and Os of Hollywood, most notably with TheWrap and the Observer.
Trump taps conservative commentator as next White House press secretary
Katie Zacharia replaces Karoline Leavitt, who departed the White House in August after giving birth to her second child.
Measure O aims to simplify Concord's business tax structure
Concord voters will be asked in November whether to approve an update to the city’s decades-old business tax structure that backers say places a bigger Concord voters will decide on Measure O, a proposed business tax overhaul that supporters say would raise $2.9 million annually for roads, public safety and parks.
H-E-B Crowns 2026 Quest For Texas Best Winners
H‑E‑B named the winners of its 13th annual Quest for Texas Best, celebrating five standout small businesses and the Texas-made products poised to become customers’ next favorites. Selected from a record-breaking 978 entries representing more than 500 companies statewide, the five winners shared $110,000 in cash prizes, with the Grand Prize recipient earning the title of “Texas Best” and placement on H‑E‑B shelves.
Life Science Legal Strategy Summit 2026
Partner Bart Jong and associate Jasmeen Bahous will attend the Life Science Legal Strategy Summit 2026, taking place 13–14 October in Frankfurt. The event will bring together legal professionals and industry leaders to explore key legal, regulatory, and strategic developments shaping the life sciences sector.
High Console Prices Push Playstation and Xbox Sales to New Lows
Circana data found that PlayStation and Xbox console sales are hitting new lows in 2026.
Five Iron Golf Launches Five Iron Lounge, a New Licensing Platform for Hospitality and Entertainment Venues
BrewDog named inaugural licensing partner, with first Five Iron Lounge planned for Las Vegas NEW YORK — Five Iron Golf...
A House Candidate Says She Was Raped While Campaigning. It’s a Horrific Account—and an Urgent One.
Bernadette Greene-Placentia says she has lived through an experience that women everywhere have to fear.
Employee development shouldn’t stop at promotion
A promotion is only the beginning. For businesses competing to retain top talent, advancing employees into leadership roles can be a powerful investment, but a new title doesn’t automatically make someone an effective manager. As Business Report writes in its Best Places to Work issue, training, mentorship and ongoing support can help newly promoted employees […]
Majority of brands lack confidence in sports sponsorship as business driver
The IPA and Sponsorship Effectiveness Forum recommend following three principles to track commercial performance.
Jolly, Nixon make pitch to Black voters in Miami Gardens ahead of elections
David Jolly and Angie Nixon pitched economic opportunity and civil rights to Black voters at U.S. Rep. Federica Wilson’s annual Fireside chat.
Does ‘Galactic Racer’ Deserve The Best ‘Star Wars’ Metascore In 23 Years? Yes
Galactic Racer is the best-reviewed Star Wars game since Knights of the Old Republic, and it deserves that crown.
Supermassive Black Holes
Through studying the early universe, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has brought us closer to understanding one of the most prominent theories that explain the origins of supermassive black holes, that of black hole "seeds."
Washington Commanders Running Backs Looking to Pick Up Production
Though the Washington Commanders rank among the best rushing attacks in the NFL, can the running back room pick up more of the slack in 2026?
Oliver Glasner Issues Injury Warning for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The 'Black Box' That Solves AI Fears, And The Stock Behind It
Xometry has the inside track to one of the remaining largely untapped online markets: the market for things that don't yet exist.
Dr. Jeff Bird: Indiana University Health Strives to Provide Excellence in Healthcare
By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital provides the primary healthcare service for most of the residents of Delaware County and acts as the tertiary care referral center for East Central Indiana. The clinical care is led by two dedicated clinical leaders: Dr. Ryan Johnston MD, the Chief Medical Officer, and Melissa Hicks, DNP, RN, the Chief Nursing Officer. Under their leadership, the quality and safety of patients hospitalized at IU Health Ball Memorial is vigorously monitored, and processes are in place to continually improve. IU Health Ball was founded in 1929 by funds primarily given by...
The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle; As You Wake, Break the Shell by Becky Chambers; The Eye of Goliath by Diego Muzzio; Our Cut of Salt by Deena Helm
The 2026 Lookout List: Arts and Entertainment
Theaters, galleries, ballet, dancing, concerts, karaoke and dive bars: the arts and entertainment scene in Lane County is bursting at the seams with options for a night out, no matter what you’re into. (We’re a multifaceted kind of place; you can be just as into the fine arts as you are into belting at karaoke.)
From Mountain Goats to Mental Health Initiatives, Glacier Conservancy Puts $4.5 Million to Work
Amid unprecedented visitation numbers and staffing cuts removing nearly a quarter of the park’s workforce, Glacier National Park’s fundraising arm is working to meet the park’s growing demands. In a public meeting on Wednesday, Glacier National Park Conservancy, the official fundraising partner of the park, outlined the progress of its supported projects as well as […]
Regulatory change opens door to one-stop mental and physical healthcare in NJ
NJ has awarded two contracts to nonprofits to make it easier for low-income patients to access mental and physical healthcare in one place.
Bronze ring with Lighthouse of Alexandria engraving discovered at palace on submerged island in Egypt
A bronze ring that depicts the Lighthouse of Alexandria has been discovered underwater in the remains of an ancient palace.
Why Congress hasn't passed bills to save Black infants, moms
Wisconsin Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate are pushing a package of bills to improve Black infant and maternal health nationwide. It faces a steep climb.
How students can find therapy and other mental health resources
About 70% of college students experienced a mental health concern in the past year, according to a 2026 national survey from United Healthcare. The University of Georgia Counseling and Psychiatric
Focus, calm and flow: The science behind relaxation
The vagus nerve connects the brain to the organs. Stimulating it can be beneficial - but some social media hacks lack science to back them up. Plus: Forest or city walk — which is more relaxing?
ACIC launches E&S carrier for coastal commercial property
ACES Specialty Insurance will begin writing in Florida, Texas and South Carolina on December 1, adding a direct market for catastrophe-exposed placements
‘He wants me to lose’: Paxton complains about lack of support from Cornyn in leaked audio
Ken Paxton has publicly said he would “love to have” John Cornyn’s support after their bruising Republican primary runoff in the Texas Senate race. But privately, Paxton has grown frustrated with the outgoing senator’s distance from his campaign.
‘Rocky Horror’ is a 50-year tradition of mess and chaos. This NOLA theatre does it anyway.
The theater has been hosting live screenings since before Katrina and it’s become a rite of passage for many in New Orleans, especially in the queer community. “Sometimes it just looks like a hurricane of popcorn and rice and toilet paper came through the plac. You blow it all to the front, sweep it up and move on to the next day.”
Prince live album leads Record Store Day’s Black Friday list
MINNEAPOLIS — The Prince estate is offering fans something they can all agree on for Black Friday this year: a new live album. The three-LP vinyl or two-CD set “3121
Islanders 4 (EN), Blackhawks 1: Horvat, Stanley(?!) stay hot
The Islanders dispatched the Blackhawks, as well they should, to even their record at 2-2 on the young season. The 4-1 final turned in the second period when the Isles got two goals in quick succession, converting some counterattacks against a loose Blackhawks team defense. Bo Horvat had two goals, a power play one to […]
New Castle business owners frustrated as bridge project completion delayed again
A group of business owners in downtown New Castle met this evening to learn about what’s delaying a bridge replacement project they all say is hurting their businesses.
Counting under way in Holborn and St Pancras byelection
Results are expected from 2.30am BST in the north London poll to choose a replacement for former PM Keir Starmer
World Mental Health Day 2026: How losing my father and surviving illness led me to mental health advocacy
This World Mental Health Day (10 October), the theme is "Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change." It recognizes that people who have lived through hard moments hold knowledge that no manual can replace.
Arizona political candidate says fear delayed report of alleged sexual assault
Bernadette Greene-Placentia says she’s sharing her story now in hopes that it could help others.
Physician Organizations Oppose Legislation That Gives Health Insurers Unilateral Control Over Out-of-Network Payments
The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and American College of Radiology (ACR) today expressed strong opposition to the Lower Premiums, Faster Payments Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) that would eliminate the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process established under the No Surprises Act (NSA) and replace it with payment rates calculated by health insurance companies.
How Gainesville’s ‘Everything School’ Built an Athletic Powerhouse - WRUF 98.1 FM | 850 AM
As you drive down NW 39th Avenue in Gainesville, you’ll find a school where the competitiveness in multiple sports never rests. As you sit or chat on campus with Athletic Director Billy Pankey, you feel the pride of the school as he calls it “Buchholz Everything School,” a place where cross country, football, volleyball, basketball
The midterm maps changed–so could Black political power
New congressional maps in nine states could reshape Black voters’ ability to elect preferred candidates, raising concerns about diluted political influence in s...
Trump bucks and the politics of mailing checks
The checks started going out last week, nearly one million of them, and mostly to battleground states. With a return address for the U.S. Treasury and a letter enclosed signed by President Donald Trump, these one-time checks for $500 were ostensibly government rebates for Obamacare enrollees who overpaid. In the accompanying letter, however, Trump attacks his predecessor and talks about his record in office on an important issue he’s not polling well on, which makes it seem more like the most expensive political mailer in U.S. history. The average piece of direct mail costs between 30 cents and $3, according to Mail Processing Associates, a print, mail, and fulfillment company. At $500 a pop plus roughly 50 cents each to issue the paper check, the cost of Trump’s healthcare mailer sent to more than 950,000 enrollees comes in at more than $475 million. Trump’s midterm healthcare message “For years, the Biden Administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare dot gov,” Trump wrote in the letter. “That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government, and now, I am returning it to you!” In the letter, Trump makes false and misleading claims about his administration’s record on healthcare costs, an issue Democrats have a 20 point advantage on over Republicans, according to a recent poll from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy think tank. Trump touts his administration’s TrumpRX program, which he claims is “delivering massive discounts.” However, new research from KFF found that of a selection of drugs available on the TrumpRX platform, just five were the lowest price, while 13 were the highest price. Trump also falsely claims in the letter that he’s fighting to lower healthcare costs. In reality, average monthly premium payment costs for enrollees rose 58% under Trump while marketplace sign-ups declined 5%, per KFF. Under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it’s estimated 10 million more Americans will be uninsured by 2034. You get a check and you get a check and you get a check Trump’s long promised cash outs to his fans, from his days as a casino operator and gameshow host to his presidency. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the first Trump administration made the unprecedented move to put Trump’s name on checks that went out under the CARES Act (notably the $500 refund checks this time around don’t feature Trump’s name). Ever since, Trump’s been chasing that high. In his second term, Trump’s promised more stimulus that never arrived, like refund checks from DOGE cuts and tariffs, while he said at his party’s convention last month that he’d give out $5,000 checks to everyone if Republicans win in November. In reality, DOGE overstated its cost cutting and Trump’s government actually now spends more than former President Joe Biden’s, while Trump’s tariffs actually grew the trade deficit. His proposal for $5,000 checks would add about $1.2 trillion to the national debt. The problem is there’s no money to give. These $500 checks — plus $90 Medicare rebate checks also going out as well as $250 deposited this week in some Trump Accounts for kids courtesy Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell and his wife Susan — represent the closest Trump’s going to get to making good on his promise to deliver cash fast. And the checks seem especially targeted. Though the $500 checks went out to enrollees in one of 30 states that use the federal HealthCare dot gov marketplace, a Reuters review found 71% of the payments, or $339 million, went to enrollees in 13 states that have the most competitive elections for governor and U.S. Senate. Most Americans don’t buy it Could Trump bucks sway the election? An Economist-YouGov poll found 57% of U.S. adults doubt Trump will deliver on his promise for $5,000 checks, compared to 21% who do. “I’m waiting on my DOGE check and I’m still waiting on my tariff check,” one 2024 Trump voter who’s since turned on him told a recent focus group. “It felt like kind of trying to buy people’s votes, which honestly felt like in elementary when the class president was like, hey we’re going to take you to the water park if you vote for me. It’s like, I don’t think it works like that.” But for voters in swing states who got a check, it could still matter. One survey published in 2022 found receiving a physically personalized check in the mail during the pandemic was associated with a much greater self-reported likelihood of voting for Trump in 2020, and those gains mainly came from out partisans. The issue for Trump comes if these checks are mostly going to Obamacare enrollees whose premiums have gone up by more than just $500 since he took office and who view the money as something like a bribe before the election rather than an actual long-term solution to lowering household costs. Spending $500.50 per mailer would be absurd as a normal campaign expenditure, but since Trump’s checks and letter are a government rebate, his campaign and super PAC didn’t have to spend a dime and he got out his message regardless. If enough voters in key states are swayed by the one-time payment, it could prove to be the best $0 the Trump campaign spent. Subscribe [ ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) [ Why independent candidates are making independence central to their brand ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) Hunter Schwarz · Oct 6 [ Read full story ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) [ ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) [ These designers and grocery nerds will brand Mamdani’s NYC grocery stores ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) Hunter Schwarz · Oct 2 [ Read full story ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) Trump wants to turn his first-ever golf course into a government course for presidents
Zenfolio NextZen Streamlines the Business of Photography
Does putting website, galleries, booking, and sales tools in one place make running a photography business easier? We tested Zenfolio NextZen to find out.
WATCH LIVE: U.S. House candidates James, Mitchell debate in Iowa in race to replace Hinson
Democratic state Rep. Lindsay James and former state Rep. Joe Mitchell, the Republican candidate, are facing off in a contest to represent Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
10 parasites that sound like science fiction
Ten parasites that sound like they belong in science fiction—but are actually real. From fungi that manipulate ant behavior to crustaceans that replace fish tongues, discover ten extraordinary exam…
Andrich Vows To Fight For His Leverkusen Place
After losing his armband and starting role under Carles Martínez, the German midfielder rejects transfer rumors to battle for his place in a new-look Leverkusen hierarchy.
Trump-tied firm helped organize political advisers’ Balkans travel
Chris LaCivita and James Blair’s trip to the Balkans occurred after former Trump campaign adviser Alex Garcia initially reached out, multiple people told Semafor.
Apple will reportedly debut its first touchscreen MacBook in three weeks
The event could take place weeks after Apple’s “Welcome home” presentation.
Ravens Injury Report: Lamar Jackson Misses Second Straight Practice
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has missed his second straight practice, placing doubt on his ability to play in Week 5.
Data Science Initiative Talk: Dr. Thea Kristensen- Community Observations of Massachusetts Black Bears | Events & Calendars | Data Science Initiative Talk: Dr. Thea Kristensen- Community Observations of Massachusetts Black Bears
As part of the Data Science Initiative Speaker Series, Prof. Thea Kristensen (Biology) presents "Using Community Observations to Ask Questions about Massachusetts Black Bears”.
SBA Disaster Loans Available for September Flood Damage » CBIA
Business owners can borrow up to $2 million to replace real property, inventory, machinery, equipment, and other physical losses.
The editors: Make it safe to lose elections
Today’s political rhetoric depicts electoral defeat as apocalyptic. If this leads to a rejection of the rule of law, it places the constitutional order itself at great risk.
Darfur: Healthcare needs outstrip resources as Security Council extends Sudan sanctions
More than 700,000 displaced people in Tawila, in Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur region, face severe shortages of healthcare, food, water and protection, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday as it called for an urgent increase in resources.
Cosmic Baseball brings Neon Night to Gwinnett Field in 2027
Gwinnett baseball fans will get a chance to see the ballpark in a whole new light next year when Cosmic Baseball brings its blacklight baseball experience to Gwinnett Field as
Google brings agentic AI to Gemini, starting with businesses
Google is turning Gemini into an AI agent that can plan, execute tasks, and work across business apps and systems. The agent can delegate work to subagents, use multiple AI models, and even gets its own workplace identity, complete with an email address.
In ‘Always Lalisa,’ K-pop superstar Lisa comes of age and embarks on a new career in acting
The documentary “Always Lalisa” captures a pivotal year in the life of Lisa, following the K-pop superstar as she takes a break from Blackpink to record and launch her first solo album, 2025’s “Alter Ego.” | WWL
Real Madrid Identify Arsenal's Mikel Merino As New Midfield Option
Mikel Merino has reportedly emerged as a potential transfer target for Real Madrid. The Spanish giants are keen on the versatile midfielder but for now, no talks have taken place between Madrid and Arsenal over a possible deal.
5 House districts where Republicans are looking to turn the tables as Democrats eye big midterm wins
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New ASU podcast asks: What if the future of news starts with people?
Andy Pergam has spent his career thinking about journalism not only as an industry, but as a public service that has to keep earning its place in people’s lives.
New early learning reading space to open at R.B. Tullis Library in New Caney
A Family Place Library featuring toys, books and workshops will open Nov. 2 at R.B. Tullis Library in New Caney.
Big Ten has '18 strong members,' no expansion talks, commish says
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said the conference has had "absolutely no discussions taking place around expansion, and there haven't been for quite some time."
Yankees' 'offseason focus' should include David Bednar, Paul Blackburn
The Yankees should prioritize this part of the roster.
Weslaco Chamber to Host Candidate Forum, Oct. 8th
The Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center will be hosting a Candidate forum on Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM.
Apple Product Launch Announced for October 13: 'Welcome Home'
Apple today announced an upcoming product launch that will take place on Tuesday, October 13. We are expecting Apple's announcement to focus on new smart home products, including the long-rumored smart home hub, a new Apple TV 4K, and a refreshed HomePod mini. The home hub is an all-new device that's like a cross between an iPad and a HomePod.
Trump admin bars Microsoft and other tech companies from seeking permanent residency for foreign workers
he Trump administration is suspending Microsoft from seeking permanent residency for foreign workers hired through the H-1B visa program, accusing it of taking advantage of the process so that it could replace American citizens with cheaper labor from abroad.
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...
XBOX Unveils New Movies, TV, Live Entertainment Unit – CSO Matthew Ball Says It Aims To Be ‘Number One Entertainment Company In The World’
XP will combine activities into four businesses: XBOX Pictures, XBOX Products, XBOX Places and XBOX Partnerships.
Alaska Science Forum time capsule: The secret life of a red fox family
Note: At the start of every walk, my dogs try to sneak away to “fox town,” a fox den on the other side of the pond near my cabin, and we often see the adult foxes trotting through the neighborhood. Hearing one of them bark the other evening, I was reminded of this March 26, 2020, story by Ned Rozell. He recently reported that foxes still use the den, but did not occupy it in summer 2026. — Sara Wilbur
Newrez, eXp Realty Form Joint Venture To Target Purchase Business
eXp Realty is replacing Kind Lending with Newrez as its mortgage joint venture partner, bringing one of the nation's largest nonbank lenders into its national real estate network in a move that could expand Newrez's reach into purchase lending.
Apple's Cheapest 16-Inch MacBook Pro Just Got a Massive $563 Discount on Amazon
Apple's entry-level 16-inch MacBook Pro has received a massive discount today on Amazon, coming in at $563 off its new price. This is the 18-Core M5 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro with 24GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, available for $2,436.53, down from $2,999.00. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Louisiana Activists Draw Links Between Petrochemical, Climate Harm to Maternal Health
Louisiana feminist activists came together on October 2 at the annual Black Birth Matters conference to demand that policy makers consider how toxic air pollution and other environmental damage negatively impact reproductive health.
What the law says about armed officers at polling places
What does the law say about armed officials at the polls? That’s one of four questions that a legal scholar answers as Trump administration threats have piled up about voting
Alliant buys New Hampshire brokerage
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Sketchy rumor again says OLED iPad mini will lack one key feature
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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.
FDA-approved epilepsy drug may help reverse osteoarthritis damage
Researchers at Yale have identified a promising new approach to osteoarthritis that could do more than simply ease pain. The epilepsy drug lacosamide appears to block a protein involved in both pain signaling and cartilage destruction, helping damaged joints shift back toward repair in preclinical studies.
AI in Health Care Moves Toward More Autonomous Roles
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Orioles’ Luis De León made a strong first impression
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"What's the point of this if you're not feeling something?" Star Wars: Galactic Racer devs share the secret to bottling the incredible game feel of Burnout
The Star Wars: Galactic Racer developers at Fuse Games talk board games, emotions, and looking up "verisimilitude".
Black Democrats are facing a crossroads
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AI tool plays matchmaker between Mass. businesses and contracts
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Business English for Workplace Communication (2026): EF English Live Recognized for Practical, Speaking-Focused Learning by Better Business Advice
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Why Sebastian Maniscalco's SiriusXM radio is bad for comedy
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St. Mary’s Health Care System opens new facility
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5 steps for CEOs to improve mental health in the workplace
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Philips Oral Healthcare establishes Global Clinical Advisory Board to help shape the future of oral care through scientific and clinical insight
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US grants Aurora exemption for self-driving trucks safety feature
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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.