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Killer whales. We’ll make a wild wager that no one had this on their 2023 bingo card — orcas are sinking boats all over the world. This week, a pod of orcas downed yet another yacht off the coast of Morocco (that’s over 200 just this year). According to reports, the group coordinated a cohesive attack, hitting the steering fin of the vessel for nearly an hour straight until the ship sank. Hmm… Avatar 2, anyone?
In other news… Netflix Originals are few-hit wonders, the next era of brain-chip interfaces, and journalism anoints its first TSwift-dedicated reporter.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Netflix niche // Illustration by Kait Cunniff with Midjourney
Netflix’s own hits are few and far between
The Future. While the WGA fought hard to codify a success-based streaming residual payment, new data shows most Netflix Original titles probably don’t come close to that threshold. In other words, a minority of programs drive the majority of viewership. But it’s possible that could specifically be an Originals phenomenon and licensed titles could drive even more average viewership. With the major studios reverting back to licensing to Netflix to generate cash, that theory is about to be put to the test.
Small-screen blockbusters
Netflix — like every other streamer — hid its viewership data not because it was awash in big, broad hits, but because most of its programs are… well… niche.
Digital-i, a British data provider, found over 70% of Netflix Originals are viewed by less than 5% of US subscribers.
Conversely, fewer than 5% were seen by over 20% of subscribers — the threshold that triggers newly-won performance bonuses for WGA writers.
Granted, Digital-i was measuring the performance of all of Netflix’s titles — film, TV, docs, stand-up, etc. — so it’s conceivable only union-covered material has a higher viewership average.
Despite criticisms that Netflix (or most streaming movies) don’t have a cultural footprint, Digital-i discovered movies represented the biggest hits for the streamer, with the top three most-watched titles on the platform this year being the Eddie Murphy-Jonah Hill comedy You People, the Adam Sandler-Jennifer Aniston comedy Murder Mystery 2, and the Jennifer Lopez-actioner The Mother — all viewed by more than 35% of subscribers.
Those are stats Netflix wants a lot more of. While Netflix still doesn’t want to commit to wider theatrical rollouts like competitors Apple and Amazon, Netflix announced it was overhauling its film strategy to put more resources into fewer films — a film every other week instead of every week — in an effort to give more TLC to the movies it makes.
And in doing so, program even bigger hits.
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TECHNOLOGY
Courtesy of Neuralink
Neuralink will implant you now
The Future. People are apparently lining up to have Elon Musk’s Neuralink chip implanted in their brains. With the goal of helping people use their minds to send messages, play games, and fight back against Terminators, Neuralink may hope the Musk branding gives it a boost in the chip-to-brain market… even if it isn’t the first company to get to market.
“Fitbit in your skull”
That’s what co-founder Elon Musk has called Neuralink’s proprietary device, which is set for human trials in the very near future.
According to a report from Bloomberg, thousands of people have already expressed interest in joining a human trial — which the company received earlier this year from the FDA.
Neuralink started human-trial recruitment in September and is looking for people with paralysis in all four limbs due to spinal injuries or ALS — a group that Musk believes would be the most open to pushing for the procedure.
Despite the interest, Neuralink says it’s still looking for that perfect first-test subject to undergo the removal of a piece of their skull to be replaced by the device, which contains 64 thinner-than-hair threads that attach to the brain.
Neuralink plans to test the device on 11 humans next year, and over 22,000 by 2030… with all of the operations potentially done solely by robots. That’s a big jump, to say the least.
But the rush is to keep pace with Musk’s belief that humans need a software update on the off chance that AI beings are created that are unfriendly to humans.
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MUSIC
Courtesy of Bryan West
Gannett anoints its dedicated TSwift reporter
The Future. Gannett, the largest newspaper chain in the US, has officially hired its dedicated Taylor Swift reporter: 35-year-old Bryan West. Saying West will be under the microscope is an understatement, but his ability to ride the line between respected journalist and major fan could thrust him into the national spotlight… and potentially even inspire other publications to hire their own artist-focused beat reporters, the way others have done for politicians and athletes.
On the beat
Bryan West hopes to ride the line between hard journalism and stan enthusiasm with his new position as the go-to guy on all things Swift for USA Today, The Tennessean, and Gannett’s over 200 local daily publications.
He’s a legit journalist, having worked as a “one-man band” broadcast reporter for an NBC affiliate out of Phoenix and having won two Emmys, a Murrow, and a duPont.
He’s a legit Swiftie, with on-air reporters literally ribbing him for all of his TSwift knowledge (which he compiled and sent to Gannett during the interview process).
In the role, West plans to shine a light on both the cultural and economic footprint Swift has, including pieces like her effect on the friendship bracelet industry (massive, we’re sure). And he says he’ll be critical of her if need be.
That’s something that may send Swifities into a tizzy — they already have their claws out, especially since he’s a man.
But there’s one thing that may quiet all of that down: if Swift gives him a rare interview.
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Last chance to invest before this company becomes a household name
If you had the opportunity to invest in the biggest electronics products before they launched into big box retail, would you?
Through retail distribution deals with Best Buy, Ring changed doorbells and Nest changed thermostats. Early investors earned massive returns, but the opportunities were limited to a select, wealthy few.
The game has changed, and for once investors can invest in a company gearing up for a massive retail rollout.
RYSE is launching in over 100 Best Buy stores, and you’re in luck — you can still invest at only $1.25/share before their name becomes nationally known.
Highlights
The best curated daily stories from around the web
Media, Music, & Entertainment
Marvel is pulling a DC and launching a film and TV banner for projects that won’t be part of the over-arching timeline, starting with the Hawkeye-spinoff show, Echo. Read more → thr
The Oppenheimer wave: Netflix is giving Zack Snyder’s upcoming Rebel Moon — Part 1: A Child of Fire a 70mm theatrical rollout at four theaters next month. Read more → thewrap
Blumhouse dropped a teaser trailer for its upcoming movie Imaginary in front of theatrical screenings of Five Nights at Freddy’s… a trailer that asks you to not look at the screen. Read more → variety
Fashion & E-Commerce
SHEIN hopes to IPO in the US at a $90 billion valuation. Read more → bof
Amazon’s two new ad products for Thursday Night Football have been so successful that they could allegedly offset the costs of Prime Video productions when they’re offered on film and TV titles. Read more → insider
Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton Speedy handbag is available in five different colorways… in case you were hung up on which color you want to drop a million dollars on. Read more → hypebeast
Tech, Web3, & AI
YouTube’s push to crack down on ad-blockers has led to some softwares clocking 50,000 uninstalls per day… but the whole practice may be illegal in Europe. Read more → tubefilter
OpenSea has cut an additional 50% of its staff after marketplace trading volume plunged 99% since early last year. Read more → theinformation
Attendees at Yuga Lab’s ApeFest 2023 in Hong Kong are reporting severe eye pain and burnt skin after potentially being exposed to unprotected UV lights. Read more → theverge
Creator Economy
Elon Musk is selling discarded Twitter handles (X profiles?) for up to $50,000 (he has to pay those bills somehow). Read more → forbes
A report from UTA found half of kids in the US are listening to a podcast every week. Read more → theverge
TikTok is officially ending its Creator Fund… so people can sign up for its new and improved (and definitely not just renamed) creator fund called “Creativity Program.” Read more → fastcompany
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Melody Song. Copy edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.