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Sentara Health to host free drive-thru flu vaccinations
Hampton Roads Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina News, Weather, Traffic and Sports.
Women’s Breast Health Awareness Event set in Warsaw
WARSAW — A Women’s Breast Health Awareness Event will be conducted Thursday at the Wyoming County Community Health System.
Apple Reportedly Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders After Price Hike Dampens Demand
Apple has asked some of its suppliers to cut production of iPhone 18 Pro components due to lower-than-expected demand, according to Nikkei Asia ($). Citing its own sources, the report claims that Apple has been more cautious about shipments since early September because of the rising cost of memory chips, leading to higher prices. Component orders for October were said to have been cut by at least 15 percent compared with what was originally requested.
BLM recruits future workforce at Missouri University of Science and Technology career fair
At the Missouri University of Science and Technology’s (Missouri S&T) fall career fair on September 22, 2026, BLM staff from the Northeastern States District engaged with students to recruit the next generation of public land stewards.
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...
Baker Mayfield ‘Pushing to Play’ vs. Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles announced on Sept. 28 that starting quarterback Baker Mayfield will miss at least […]
The midterm polls that caught our eye this week
Polls show Trump losing support among his base and voters focused on Senate control and issues.
Riverhead Town Board Roundup: RFP to bidders authorized for former LI Science Center building as condemnation proceedings continue
The Riverhead Town Board is issuing a request for proposals, or RFP, to interested parties who want to transform the empty 111 East Main St. building into a “destination attraction.” The 5-0 vote on Tuesday means qualified developers, attraction operators, entertainment companies, destination retailers, hospitality groups, and public-private partnership teams can now submit their bids...
Some churches are turning their empty lots into affordable housing
The grassy plot of land across the street from Trinity East United Methodist Church sat empty most of the time.
Poll: Democrat Troy Jackson narrowly leads Susan Collins in Maine Senate race
Likely voters prefer Jackson on several key issues, but they favor Collins’s ability to steer federal dollars to the state.
Science center receives grant to build Easton’s first ‘green parking lot’
A space behind the Nurture Nature Center, a downtown Easton community science education center, will become the city’s first “green” parking lot after the center received a $350,000 state grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The project will transform the paved area behind the center into a green space that provides...
Mental health: the burden of childhood trauma in Europe
Two out of three young adults have experienced at least one traumatic or highly stressful event during childhood, according to WHO.
Health and wellness company begins selling mammography AI directly to consumers for $249
Austin, Texas-based Everlywell recently announced the nationwide rollout and commercial availability of Clairity Breast to its users.
Exclusive: Apple cuts iPhone 18 Pro orders due to soft demand
Suppliers blame premium handsets' price hike for weaker consumer uptake
Dr. Texas Rüegg explains the science behind every sip at Rueggenbach Brewing Co.
When it comes to the craft beer scene in East Texas, Dr. Texas Rüegg has made a name for himself as co-owner of the Rueggenbach Brewing Co in Marshall. In this edition of East Texas Tonight, we learn why Dr. Rüegg went from working in education to opening his own brewery, the challenges of starting your own business, and the science behind every sip!
Political Deepfakes and the Limits of Regulation
At least 31 states have laws against AI-generated deepfake ads and campaign calls. As the laws in two of them demonstrate, there’s not much that can be done to guarantee voters that what they’re seeing or hearing is real.
Takeaways from Michigan Senate debate between Abdul El-Sayed, Mike Rogers
Even mothers were not exempt in a fierce debate in the race for a critical U.S. Senate seat.
Science Hill and Sullivan East capture District volleyball championships
(WJHL) — It was high school district volleyball championship night in Classes 2 and 3-A in the region. Science Hill faced Dobyns-Bennett at David Crockett High School, and Sullivan East faced Eliza…
Bucky Irving gives Bucs 21-10 lead
Bucky Irving has 122 rushing yards, and his second touchdown of the night has given the Buccaneers a 21-10 lead.
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.
East Texas Tonight: Dr. Texas Rüegg explains the science behind every sip at Rueggenbach Brewing Co.
In this edition of East Texas Tonight, we learn why Dr. Rüegg went from working in education to opening his own brewery, the challenges of starting your own business, and the science behind every sip!
Linkin Park documentary 'Unshatter' tracks band's emotional return to recording, touring
Linkin Park is revealing the uncertainty, grief and creative risk behind its return in the new documentary “Linkin Park: Unshatter.”
'Jesse Watters Primetime' visits Columbia University to talk politics
'Jesse Watters Primetime' visits Columbia University to ask students about their political beliefs.
Science, ‘Much Ado About Murder’ dot ARTx3 October slate
The ARTx3 Campus, which comprises the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, the ARTSpace on Main and ART WORKS on Main, presents the following events in October: Next Gen STEAM Exhibition Series (Series 4: Bird In A Cage) — through Oct. 31 Can you make a bird move without touching it? Bird in a […]
I Played 6 Hours of Phantom Blade Zero and Can’t Stop Thinking About It
After half a day playing Phantom Blade Zero, it’s gone from mostly not on my radar to to the top of my wishlist this fall, and I truly cannot wait to dive back in later this month to see if it can deliver beyond those first handful of hours. At least for now, though, just about everything I’ve seen and played has made me more convinced that this is going to be one of the coolest action games of 2026.
Trump Sports Suspicious Bulge at Make-a-Wish Medal Ceremony
What is being stowed in the presidential caboose?
Russia’s plague scare and the danger of unpreparedness
The erosion of global public health infrastructure does not serve America's interests.
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
LMH Health Cancer Center reaccredited for excellence in breast care
The LMH Health Cancer Center has once again earned accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a quality program administered by the American College of Surgeons. The recognition follows a rigorous review process conducted every three years and confirms that LMH Health meets national standards for breast cancer care, patient support, quality […]
Trump bought over $1 million in SpaceX debt days before unveiling space policy
The purchase, revealed in his latest financial disclosure, involved a firm directly affected by his administration’s actions — and led by presidential ally Elon Musk.
MLK Health Center and Pharmacy hosts 14th annual Mammograms and Manicures event
The MLK Health Center hosted its annual Mammograms and Manicures event, offering women complimentary manicures and breast exams.
Performing Arts Center Pointing to 2027 Opening as Local Entertainment, Business, and Educational Partner
This reporter recently met with Front Royal Performing Arts Center (FRPAC) Board of Directors President Shae Parker and Vice-President Kate Gorecki to get an overview, including photos seen below, of the renovation status of the planned, multi-faceted Performing Arts Center on the 100 block of East Main Street at its intersection with Church Street. With
'Big step forward': Nolla Health to diagnose acne and send prescriptions
Nolla Health CEO Luis Wenus has the latest on the AI prescription service on 'America Reports.'
Hegseth wants Fort Hood shooter’s execution by firing squad to be public
“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday about the firing squad execution of convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan.
Trump receives late uncle’s National Medal of Science
President Donald Trump is presented with his late uncle Dr. John G. Trump’s National Medal of Science during the Science: A New Golden Age Summit.
MLK Health Center and Pharmacy hosts 14th annual Mammograms and Manicures event
The MLK Health Center and Pharmacy hosted its 14th annual Mammograms and Manicures event Thursday, offering breast cancer screenings to help uninsured and underinsured patients access preventive care.
Guardant Health to Report Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results on November 5, 2026
PALO ALTO, Calif., October 08, 2026--Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced it will report financial results for the third quarter 2026 after market close on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Company management will webcast a corresponding conference call beginning at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time / 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Philadelphia City Council calls on health, sanitation departments to deal with growing rat infestation
Councilmember Anthony Phillips introduced the measure calling on city agencies to stop a growing rat infestation in Lower Northeast Philadelphia.
Obama marvels at Democrats’ Senate chances
“There are states right now in play that I would not have imagined being in play,” the former president said.
The states that aren’t cooperating with Democrats’ Senate majority hopes
Democrats’ path to the Senate majority is improving. In fact, recent polls have shown the party leading in three states that President Donald Trump carried by double digits in 2024: Alaska, Ohio and Texas. Democrats need at least two of those to win the majority.
Eastern Michigan University to break ground on new home for College of Business
/PRNewswire/ -- Eastern Michigan University will mark a major milestone in transforming its College of Business with a groundbreaking ceremony for the...
New resolution calls rat problem in Northeast Philly a ‘public health emergency'
A new resolution urges the Health Department and other agencies to coordinate an urgent response to rodent activity in Lower Northeast Philly.
Some Hollywood stars retreat from political debate
'The Big Money Show' panel discusses the growing trend of Hollywood A-listers, including Glen Powell and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, choosing to stay out of political discourse to avoid dividing audiences.
Trump emails Medicare enrollees about $90 payment, touts his policies
The unusual move, which comes weeks before the midterm elections, has been derided by Democrats and advocates as a stunt.
Margaret Hamilton dies at 90. Her programming helped astronauts reach the moon.
Working behind the scenes at MIT, she played a key role in the success of NASA's Apollo missions. She was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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.
What Eastern Wake school board candidates say they’ll do if they’re elected
School board candidates Bonnie Greaves, Sebrina Pierce and Jasmine Zavala talk about their priorities if elected.
Democrat called slur by Trump airs ad urging ‘No men in women’s sports’
Senate candidate Annie Andrews, a Senate candidate in South Carolina, released a transgender issues ad days after the president called her an anti-transgender slur.
Trump’s Nobel ambitions fade, but Norway still fears his wrath
Trump seldom talks about the Nobel Peace Prize these days, but in Norway, some fear that any award could provoke him.
Thursday Bantering: Jays Notes
Happy Thurday. We only get one playoff game today, the Guardians and White Sox play game four. White Sox are up two games to one. It is an 8:00 Eastern start. The Rays beat out the Yankees in three games. Yay Rays. The Dodgers beat out the Braves in four games. You disappointed me Braves. […]
AI for breast cancer risk prediction goes DTC, regulatory cloud over Utah sandbox, and AI psychosis
In this edition of STAT's Health Tech: The story of a startup taking its algorithm for breast cancer risk prediction directly to patients, and more.
Tri-county region receives over $2M in mental health service funding
SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties will see more mental health funding coming their way after the federal government allotted $17 million to the state.
‘Medicare for All’ message attracts voters buckling under medical bills
Support for Medicare for All is at its highest in at least a decade, according to a new KFF poll. The survey found two-thirds of Americans now favor expanding the government health program that largely covers seniors (about half of whom are enrolled in private plans through Medicare Advantage).
Trump says ‘we protect our cities’ after suggesting Iran could ‘take out’ L.A. or San Diego
At a rally Wednesday, the president repeated remarks about Iran attacking the cities but added that “we’re not going to let that happen.”
Does Massachusetts have a ‘real race’ for governor?
The answer may hinge on Republican Mike Minogue’s ability and willingness to pivot to the political center.
Shaq shares his simple business advice for up and coming athletes
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal and renowned brand manager Leonard Armato talk to OutKick about how young athletes can avoid making critical branding mistakes.
Riverhead seeks developers for ‘destination attraction’ at former science center site
Riverhead Town is issuing a request for proposals for the redevelopment and operation of ‘a destination attraction’ at 111 East Main Street on the west side of the town square.
XCF Global stockholders approve proposed business combination with DevvStream and Southern Energy Renewables
XCF Global Inc. on Oct. 6 announced that XCF stockholders have approved the proposals necessary to complete the previously announced business combination involving XCF, DevvStream Corp. and Southern Energy Renewables Inc.
News | Major South East business park hits market with £63 million price tag
JLL and CBRE mandated on Bourne Business Park ultimatum
Business Briefs: Oct. 9, 2026
Bank collecting donations to support veterans SHELBURNE FALLS — Greenfield Cooperative Bank invites the community to its Shelburne Falls branch to contribute to a household essentials collection drive supporting veterans through Project New Hope Inc. The drive is offered in partnership with the Northeast Chapter of American Daughters of Conservation and the Massachusetts Bowhunters Association. […]
China nominates health official to lead WHO
China has nominated health official Song Li to lead the World Health Organization
China nominates health official to lead WHO
China has nominated health official Song Li to lead the World Health Organization
Oil prices jump amid record tanker attacks in Hormuz
Oil prices climbed Thursday on continued worries about global supply and as record tanker attacks in the Middle East sent crossings through the Strait of Hormuz to a two-month low.
Chiefs Wire Podcast Interview Series: Chiefs LB Cooper McDonald
Chiefs Wire Podcast Interview Series: @EdEastonJr chats with Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Cooper McDonald
Analysis | The October Surprise isn’t what it used to be
The idea of one news story remaking an entire election in the final weeks of the campaign might be from a bygone era.
The surprising new idea that is reshaping how we think about ADHD
Scientists are starting to uncover the links between being a night owl and some neuropsychiatric conditions.
Alaska found a way to elect more moderates. Now voters might end it.
Alaskans will decide in November whether to ditch a system that allows four primary candidates, regardless of party, to advance to the general election.
Roaches Galore: 12 more Central Florida eateries shut down over health issues
Last week, over a dozen Central Florida eateries were forced to shut down (at least temporarily) after a visit from a health inspector, according to state records.
Why this startup is taking its AI to predict breast cancer risk directly to patients
A startup didn't want to wait for doctors and insurers to get behind its breast-cancer risk prediction AI. So it's going directly to patients.
North East Ambulance Service predicts mental health spike
North East Ambulance Service says mental health care needs will rise over the next few years.
Nebraska soccer prepares for Maryland and Rutgers
After a gauntlet of ranked matches, Nebraska will travel eastward to face Maryland and Rutgers. The Terrapins and Scarlet Knights will pose a challenge to the Huskers this weekend.
I’m a pediatrician in Michigan, and here’s what I’ve learned about how medical schools can improve community health
In medicine, poverty is often screened for, documented and then ignored as a “social” issue outside the scope of medicine.
Hasbro Expands Location-Based Entertainment
Hasbro unveils immersive attractions, themed dining and live experiences across North America, Latin America, Middle East and Asia.
Breast cancer survivors join together as CHI Health St. Elizabeth shines pink for October
CHI Health hosted its 16th annual ladies night on Wednesday, celebrating those impacted by the disease as they gathered to support one another.
Breast cancer survivors join together as CHI Health St. Elizabeth shines pink for October
CHI Health hosted its 16th annual ladies night on Wednesday, celebrating those impacted by the disease as they gathered to support one another.
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.’
Debra Messing backs GOP NY gov candidate in political shift
‘The Five’ co-hosts discuss ‘Will & Grace’ star Debra Messing’s surprising political shift after a long period of support for Democrats.
Breast cancer survivors join together as CHI Health St. Elizabeth shines pink for October
CHI Health hosted its 16th annual ladies night on Wednesday, celebrating those impacted by the disease as they gathered to support one another.
Oil rises as Middle East supply concerns persist amid shipping attacks
Oil prices rose on Thursday on persistent worries about supply from the key Middle East producing region amid an increase in attacks on shipping in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
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 …
Nearly 10 months at sea. Families now count the hours until USS Lincoln docks
Sailors went months without setting foot in a port after the carrier got called to the Middle East to fight the war in Iran
Ryan Smith launches survey in search for 'strong local vibe' at SLC entertainment district
With two-thirds of the Delta Center's renovation now complete, the owner of the Utah Jazz and Mammoth is now shifting his attention to a planned district east of it.
Trump administration paving way for temporary sale of some unapproved peptides
Food and Drug Administration scientists and some medical experts have raised alarms about increasing access to certain peptides.
Kelly’s Breast Cancer Story
Her breast cancer diagnosis came without symptoms after a routine mammogram. But throughout treatment, Kelly Titus remained strong for her family, refusing to let cancer call the shots.
Laura: Our great national museums have turned into political instruments
Fox News host Laura Ingraham discusses Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch stepping down and criticizes the institution’s past DEI initiatives on ‘The Ingraham Angle.’
Far western, eastern N.C. issues overshadowed by campaign ads
From Helene recovery to ferry tolls, Tim Boyum tackles some very local issues impacting North Carolinians in the far western and eastern part of the state.
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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