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Bryan Cranston shares statement on “Breaking Bad ”costar RJ Mitte’s death: ‘I’m in deep despair’
Mitte played Cranston’s son, Walter White Jr., on the critically acclaimed AMC series.
Do negative political ads work on voters?
Do negative political ads work? Plus third party candidate Anthony Hudson joins the show to discuss the two-party system.
'Breaking Bad' actor RJ Mitte dead at 34: representatives
RJ Mitte, the young actor best known for playing Walter White Jr. in the award-winning TV series "Breaking Bad," has died, his representatives told AFP on Monday. He was 34.
Tuscaloosa businesses did better than expected in spite of weekend hurricane threat
In the end, the storm became a non-factor for merchants on and around the Strip.
Texans land Marvin Harrison Jr. after first win, aiming for a quick impact
Stroud ranks third in the NFL with 1,402 yards passing.
“Breaking Bad” star RJ Mitte dies at 34
The actor played Walter White Jr. for six seasons of the acclaimed series.
‘Breaking Bad’ star RJ Mitte dies at 34
RJ Mitte, the actor best known for playing Walter White Jr. on ‘Breaking Bad,’ has passed away at the age of 34.
TAMIU to host free lecture on space science
Texas A&M International University will host physicist Dr. Ralph L. McNutt Jr. for a free public lecture Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m.
Michael Penix Jr. may be available for Week 6
Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. injured in Week 5 but may be available for Week 6
Penn State Forum Speaker Series hosts AI business strategist Jeff Sundheim Nov. 16
The Penn State Forum Speaker Series 2026 lineup continues with Jeff Sundheim, artificial intelligence business strategist at Tela Strategies and a 1983 Penn State alumnus, on Monday, Nov. 16, at the Penn Stater.
How Ownership and Politics Might Force the Braves to Trade This Star
The Atlanta Braves might have a much bigger problem on their hands than another disappointing postseason exit. Franchise superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. is suddenly at the center of controversy, and the possibility of Atlanta trading its former MVP is becoming a legitimate offseason talking point. During a recent episode of Acuña’s podcast La Bestia ,…
Dauch restructures executive roles, hires new CFO
Dauch Corp. announced its plans to name a new chief financial officer on Monday, as well as a restructuring of its executive team as it makes succession planning moves.
Science City After Hours
Science City Educator Emma Loesing joins Shane and Kerrigan to share what you can expect from the upcoming Science City After Hours event.
‘Miami Vice ‘85’ first look reveals Michael B. Jordan, Austin Butler
‘Miami Vice ‘85’ first look reveals Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler as Tubbs and Crockett, inspired by the original ‘80s TV series.
Pirates Charities receives Allan H. Selig Award nomination
Major League Baseball today announced the ‘Chill Mobile’ initiative, a mental health awareness initiative by Pirates Charities and Allegheny Health Network (AHN), as a finalist for the prestigious Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence. The award was created in 2010 to recognize the charitable and philanthropic efforts of MLB
Nets, Wizards Put Undefeated Preseason Records on the Line
The Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards both enter Monday night’s matchup at 2-0 in the preseason. With Michael Porter Jr. and Day’Ron Sharpe expected back, Brooklyn could get another look at its lineup while trying to extend its winning streak.
Cha Jun-hwan Halts National Team Activities, Eyes Entertainment Shift
Cha Jun-hwan Halts National Team Activities, Eyes Entertainment Shift After finalizing Seoul City Hall contract, speculation grows over acting comeback in tvNs Gungjeon Land
How partisan politics shape Baltimore County’s nonpartisan school board race
Here’s what to know about the political backgrounds of Baltimore County school board candidates in contested races.
Marvin Harrison Jr. Traded to Texans Shortly After Titans Loss
Houston lands a massive offensive weapon, acquiring the former top-five pick from Arizona to bolster C.J. Stroud’s arsenal and continue their dominance over a struggling AFC South.
Kings Acuff Jr. Praised Simmons After Preseason Debut
Ben Simmons flashed elite athleticism and scoring touch against Golden State, earning high marks from teammates for his defensive versatility and poised playmaking in Sacramento.
CJ Stroud reveals how he helped Marvin Harrison Jr. get traded to Texans
The Ohio State connection is as strong as ever.
Winners and losers as Cardinals trade Marvin Harrison Jr. to Texans: ‘I was praying something happened’
Marvin Harrison Jr. officially heads to the Houston Texans
GLENDALE — It’s official: Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is headed to the Houston Texans.
Arizona Cardinals inactives: Marvin Harrison sits in Week 5
As reported, Marvin Harrison Jr. is inactive against the Lions pending a trade.
Brian Thomas Jr. blanked in Week 5
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. went without a reception on three targets in Week 5
Designers Predict These 5 Flooring Trends Will Take Over in 2027—and Bring a Fresh Look to Every Room
Before making a change to your flooring, find out what materials, colors, and styles will be trending in 2027 to give your home an updated appeal.
Chiefs House entertains local fans at Leicester Square in London
Chiefs House entertains local fans at Leicester Square in London | @EdEastonJr
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Recommends Science-Based Thresholds to Target Dangerous Enhanced Kratom Products
Kratom products credit: CDPH DEA takes action based on updated recommendation from HHS October 11, 2026 - WASHINGTON - On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services relesed the following: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided a new recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that establishes science-based thresholds for 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI), potent opioid compounds associated with products marketed as kratom. The Department of Justice today announced that DEA issued new Notices of Intent reflecting HHS’ updated scientific analysis and recommendations, including a new Notice of Intent for 7-OH and MGPI incorporating HHS’ recommended concentration and ratio thresholds. Following a review of available scientific data and comments, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brian Christine, M.D., recommended that DEA use concentration or ratio-based thresholds to determine which products containing 7-OH and MGPI are subject to Schedule I control for purposes of temporary scheduling of these substances under the Controlled Substances Act. The recommendation is designed to target concentrated or chemically altered products while distinguishing them from natural botanical kratom products, which may contain trace amounts of 7-OH and MGPI. “We are drawing a clear line between natural kratom and dangerous, enhanced opioid products,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We listened to the public, followed the science, and developed a clear recommended threshold for temporary scheduling that targets concentrated 7-OH and MGPI without sweeping natural botanical kratom into Schedule I. The Trump Administration will continue taking decisive action against dangerous products that fuel addiction while making sure our policies are grounded in rigorous science.” Under the recommendation, 7-OH and MGPI would be controlled in Schedule I for purposes of temporary scheduling when either substance alone, or their combined amount when both are present: Exceeds 1 milligram per gram in solid powders, encapsulated material, or other solid forms, or exceeds 1 milligram per milliliter in liquid preparations; or When the mass of mitragynine present divided by the mass of 7-OH, or MGPI, or the combined amount of 7-OH and MGPI if both present, is less than 100. The ratio-based approach reflects the alkaloid composition of natural kratom products and provides a way to identify products intentionally enhanced or concentrated with 7-OH or MGPI. Available scientific data indicate that 7-OH occurs naturally in botanical kratom at relatively low or trace levels, while some evidence reviewed by FDA suggests MGPI may also occur at trace levels in some natural or kratom-derived products. FDA's scientific review found that 7-OH is substantially more potent than morphine in preclinical studies, with available data indicating approximately two to nine times greater potency depending on the study. FDA also identified evidence supporting a meaningful risk of opioid-like physical dependence and withdrawal from MGPI. “Our recommendation gives DEA a scientifically supportable framework to distinguish natural botanical kratom from products that have been concentrated or manipulated to deliver dangerous levels of potent opioid compounds,” said Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brian Christine, M.D. “This approach allows us to focus on the products that pose the greatest threat to public health.” In July 2025, following an FDA scientific and medical evaluation, HHS recommended that 7-OH above a specified threshold be placed in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. In July 2026, DEA announced its intent to temporarily schedule 7-OH above a specified threshold, and HHS simultaneously sought public comment on the proposed threshold. DEA subsequently temporarily placed MGPI and two synthetic 7-OH derivatives, MGM-15 and MGM-16, in Schedule I. Since then, questions have emerged about how scheduling could affect natural botanical kratom products potentially containing trace amounts of MGPI. The new HHS recommendation responds to those concerns by providing DEA with a more precise threshold based on both the concentration of 7-OH and MGPI and their relationship to mitragynine, the predominant alkaloid in kratom. HHS and FDA will continue working with DEA to protect Americans from dangerous concentrated and synthetic opioid products while ensuring federal policy is grounded in the best available science. Source: HHS
Backlash to Trump, RFK Jr. has scientists seeking office
Anti-vaxxers and attacks on the nation's public health system have spurred hundreds of doctors and scientists to seek office. In Sacramento, congressional hopeful Richard Pan is part of that wave.
Memorial Health urges early flu shots before season begins
Memorial Health is encouraging central Illinois residents to get flu shots now as influenza activity begins earlier in some regions.
‘New Girl’ Stars Reunite — in a Slightly Different Way Than Max Greenfield Claimed
Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone and Damon Wayans Jr. stepped out together as they were honored at the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball on Saturday.
Boston 25 News
The new William and Charlotte Bloomberg Public Science Common officially opened to the public on Oct. 10, offering a flexible space for live events, presentations and hands-on science programming.
Are Labaron Philon Jr.'s Preseason Struggles Worth Stressing Over?
Labaron Philon Jr. is going to be a hit for the 76ers, but right now it's looking like he's struggling, and the season hasn't even started yet.
Michael Pittman Injury News Ruins Colts’ Revenge Game
When the Indianapolis Colts traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers, it seemed that Pittman wouldn’t have to wait too long to find some revenge. The Steelers and Colts are facing off in Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season, a Sunday clash between AFC foes. It shaped up as a chance for Pittman […] The post Michael Pittman Injury News Ruins Colts’ Revenge Game appeared first on HEAVY.
Vikings Elevate/Activate Multiple Players vs Saints, Including OBJ
The Minnesota Vikings are indeed elevating Odell Beckham Jr. from the practice squad for Sunday's game in New Orleans. See the full list of Week 5 elevations here.
Should the NY Giants trade for Marvin Harrison Jr.?
How badly do the NY Giants need a wide receiver?
Marvin Harrison Jr. may be on move soon
Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. to be held out of Week 5 because of potential trade
Garza: Alamo ‘Open for Business’ as New Leadership and Commercial Boom Drive Mid-Valley Growth
A podcast with Alamo Mayor J.R. Garza.
Marvin Harrison Jr. to mystery team? Cardinals reportedly make trade
The Cardinals are reportedly moving on from Marvin Harrison Jr. dealing the WR to a new team. Here's what we know:
Marvin Harrison trade: Houston Texas reportedly involved
The Houston Texans are apparently in the mix for a trade for WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Heat’s Tim Hardaway Jr. leaning into ‘familiarity and comfortability’ of Miami: ‘It’s surreal’
This is a homecoming that Tim Hardaway Jr. has been thinking about for a long time.
The Daily Mauling: 10/10/26
Links! The time for tonight’s game has changed to 7pm to beat the storms headed to the southwest This SI article says weather may still be a factor in the game Kansas basketball players give their thoughts on the return of Tre White and Melvin Council, Jr Hall of Famer Mike Ditka died Friday at […]
Dont'e Thornton Jr. won't play in Week 5
Dont'e Thornton Jr. to be sidelined with hamstring injury
From BJ’s to Lululemon, retailers are trimming assortments to boost business
Retail brands are shrinking assortments to get back to healthy growth, while box stores are culling products to better curate offerings and stabilize business.
Why France’s Center Does Not Hold
The belief that the country is on a downward slope fuels the appeal of radicalism.
3 bold predictions for Indiana football at Nebraska
From Lee Beebe Jr.’s carries to Charlie Becker’s run blocking, here’s a few predictions for how Indiana’s day could go.
MLB Insider Links Guardians' Steven Kwan To Padres
A.J. Preller could pursue a blockbuster trade for Cleveland’s Gold Glove outfielder, potentially shifting Fernando Tatis Jr. in the lineup to create a terrifying new offensive core.
EAST TEXAS POLITICS: Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips, write-in candidate Terry Morrow discuss race
Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips (R) and write-in candidate Terry Morrow join Blake Holland on this week’s edition of East Texas Politics on East Texas Now to discuss the race for Smith County Clerk.
Interview with Megan Foley, MB-ABC, PHD, Forensic science program director, Hamline University
Interview with Megan Foley, MB-ABC, PHD, Forensic science program director, Hamline University
D.C. judge bars DOJ from gathering states’ voter lists to find noncitizens
Voting rights groups had challenged the effort, noting federal data includes errors that have led to citizens being wrongly removed from electoral rolls.
WTAMU to host business startup seminar Monday
West Texas A&M University is set to host a business startup seminar Monday.
Michael Pittman Jr. will not play in Week 5
Steelers WR Michael Pittman Jr. expected to miss first of several games in Week 5
Elite Notre Dame WR commit to miss rest of 2026 season with hand injury
Julius Jones Jr. ends his high school career as St. Thomas Aquinas' all-time leader in receiving yards.
Hourigan promotes new construction, Central Virginia leaders
Richmond-based Hourigan promotes Michael Henley to president of construction and Mark Hourigan Jr. to vice president of Central Virginia unit.
Swedish fashion brand Toteme coming to Oak Street
Swedish fashion brand Toteme will open a 1,173-square-foot store at 40 E. Oak St., its first in Chicago, while that space's tenant moves into the Drake Hotel.
Trump Jr. blames left for political violence during U of Iowa visit
Donald Trump Jr. and Ben Shapiro rallied University of Iowa students to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.
Your Weekly Michigan Political Brief
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has been endorsed by the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Michigan Farmers Union and Detroit City Council President James E. Tate Jr. Republican Michael Bouchard Jr. was endorsed by the Southeastern Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police in his run for the 10th Congressional District. The American Federation […]
Harry Connick Jr. reveals eldest daughter’s eerie connection with his late mother
Harry Connick Jr. shared the ‘craziest’ story about eldest daughter Georgia, revealing how she has a spiritual connection to his late mother, Anita Livingston.
Robert Wagner shares rare photo with Natalie Wood’s daughter for birthday
Robert Wagner shared a rare photo with Natalie Wood’s daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, to celebrate her birthday. Gregson Wagner was raised by her actor stepfather after Wood’s 1981 death.
Ben Affleck shares rare insight into coparenting dynamic with Jennifer Garner: ‘I’m really, really grateful’
Ben Affleck reveals that he and ex Jennifer Garner have a ‘really wonderful’ coparenting dynamic, and devote their energies toward their three children.
Carson Daly on Hosting Annual Project Healthy Minds Gala
Ahead of World Mental Health Day, TODAY’s Carson Daly hosted the annual Project Healthy Minds gala in New York. “We’re trying to make it as easy as it is to book a hotel reservation” he says about the nonprofit’s goal of connecting mental health services with people in need.
Michael Pittman’s Absence Opens Door for Steelers Receivers
Michael Pittman Jr., whom Pittsburgh acquired from the Indianapolis Colts this offseason, will miss multiple weeks after aggravating his foot injury. His absence creates an opportunity for Pittsburgh's younger receivers to establish themselves. Which players could see increased opportunities?
NFL Coaches Discuss Minnesota Vikings Signing Odell Beckham Jr
Desperate to spark a stagnant offense, Minnesota adds the veteran playmaker to bolster a struggling receiving corps and provide relief for an ailing Justin Jefferson.
Why Magic's Wendell Carter Jr. Needs to be Consistent
Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. showed more flashes of what he can do on Wednesday night, and his team needs that consistency.
Steelers receive terrible injury update with multiweek absence
The Pittsburgh Steelers received some terrible injury news on Michael Pittman Jr. that will include a multiweek absence.
Rahm Emanuel returns to Chicago, talks mentorship, Bears stadium and political future
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel returns to the city he led for eight years, touting his work to expand mentorship programs for local kids.
Colorado state GOP secretary endorses Greg Lopez in governor’s race
Colorado Republican Party Secretary Russ Andrews broke with the state party Thursday to endorse unaffiliated gubernatorial candidate Greg Lopez over GOP nominee Victor Marx, saying he’d found it “impossible” to support Marx’s candidacy “in good conscience” after a series of recent revelations. “I feel it was the right thing to do, and staying true to […]
Lions Trade Buzz Heats Up Around $20M Cornerback
Now that the Detroit Lions have moved on from pursuing Joey Porter Jr., it appears the cornerback most connected to the team is Kristian Fulton of the Kansas City Chiefs. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN poured more fuel on the speculation fire by offering Fulton as a strong option to tie to the Lions before the […] The post Lions Trade Buzz Heats Up Around $20M Cornerback appeared first on HEAVY.
Trump administration to launch new vaccine research center
The vaccine skeptic US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday a series of initiatives to study the rare adverse effects of vaccines.Serious adverse effects remain very rare and are sub...
US health secretary Kennedy launches new push on vaccine injuries
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week launched an agency-wide effort to study and document any health problems reported after vaccination, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Thursday.
Health Secretary Kennedy touts an initiative to study vaccine safety
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has established a new clinic at the National Institutes of Health to study vaccine injuries. It's part of a larger administration effort on vaccine safety.
RFK Jr. tasks researchers with studying vaccine injuries
The US Department of Health and Human Services launched a program this week to study and capture the breadth of vaccine injuries, reviving a longtime priority for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and stoking concerns from some public health advocates.
RFK Jr. unveils sweeping federal initiative to find evidence of vaccine injuries
[T]he Trump-RFK Jr anti-vax agenda keeps getting more corrupt and dangerous."
Izzo, Fears and Carr to Represent Spartans at Media Day
Veteran coach Tom Izzo joins high-stakes stars Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr to address national expectations and the program's evolution ahead of a pivotal Big Ten campaign.
http://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/media/press-releases/republican-health-care-cuts-are-decimating-american-families
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., D-N.J., today released their latest report spotlighting the consequences of Donald Trump and Republicans’ health care cuts, with a focus on the fallout of the Republican Big Ugly Bill.
CNN guest calls out ‘The View’ to Ana Navarro’s face during on-air debate
CNN guest Scott Jennings called out ‘The View’ to Ana Navarro’s face during a live debate on the news network, claiming the show ‘is able to do whatever it wants.’
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.”
Bucaneers HC Issues Challenge to Rueben Bain Jr.
Fresh off an injury-plagued start, Tampa Bay’s prized rookie returns to spark a stagnant pass rush as the winless franchise fights to keep its postseason hopes alive.
7 US multimillionaire donors gave $189 million to universities in 2026, far more than Africa’s 23 billionaires publicly gave to science and research
Africa’s universities and research institutions continue to operate with far less funding than those in developed economies, even as several of the continent’s richest individuals have added billions of dollars to their fortunes in 2026
Google to pull back the curtain on Thompson Center transformation
In an exclusive Crain's event, Google execs will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the high-profile revamp.
Patty Murray launches initiative to restore trust in public health, starting with event at WSU
WASHINGTON – Sen. Patty Murray on Wednesday launched an initiative aimed at rebuilding trust in the nation’s public health system, assembling a group of experts to develop a “blueprint” for policy after the tenure of President Donald Trump and his top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Chiefs Wire Podcast Interview Series: Chiefs LB Cooper McDonald
Chiefs Wire Podcast Interview Series: @EdEastonJr chats with Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Cooper McDonald
New iPad Mini Rumored to Have 60Hz OLED Display Ahead of Launch
Ahead of the expected imminent launch of the new iPad mini 8, word out of Asia suggests that the device will feature a 60Hz OLED display rather than a ProMotion 120Hz display. The information comes courtesy of a hit-and-miss tipster running the account "yeux1122" on the Korean Naver blog. "There have been mentions of 120Hz in some overseas reports, but the domestic production quantity has already been confirmed to be LTPS at 60Hz," the tipster wrote. "That's it".
Vikings’ Odell Beckham Jr. Reveals Why He Joined Team
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. talked about how he was able to be a part of the organization. He also discussed how Kevin O’Connell played an instrumental role in getting into the organization when he met with the media on Wednesday.Beckham was at practice on Wednesday. He could have a chance to suit […] The post Vikings’ Odell Beckham Jr. Reveals Why He Joined Team appeared first on HEAVY.
Yankees Fans Boo Jazz Chisholm Jr. For Playoff Failure
The New York Yankees’ season was dwindling, just nine outs away from being sent home by the Tampa Bay Rays. Yankees manager Aaron Boone called on Jazz Chisholm Jr. to try and save the day. Chisholm hadn’t started ALDS Game 3. The Yanks had gone with Anthony Volpe at second base and Jose Caballero at […] The post Yankees Fans Boo Jazz Chisholm Jr. For Playoff Failure appeared first on HEAVY.
Amazon makes fresh job cuts, mainly in retail division
Amazon confirmed on Wednesday it had cut what it said were a small number of jobs, primarily in its Stores unit which oversees the main e-commerce website.
Yankees’ Aaron Boone Explains Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe Decision
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone explained Wednesday's decision to start Anthony Volpe over Jazz Chisholm Jr. The post Yankees’ Aaron Boone Explains Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe Decision appeared first on HEAVY.
RFK Jr. Plans Vaccine Injury Initiative, Drawing Wary Eye From Experts
Vaccine safety experts say more research into the side effects would be welcome yet question whether the health secretary’s effort will be grounded in science.
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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New York Governor Kathy Hochul spoke with U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday, and he offered federal support as the state responds to a measles outbreak, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Wednesday.