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Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice… Beetlejuice! That’s right, Future Party people. The Tim Burton classic is back from the dead, with Warner Bros. recently confirming that the film’s sequel is officially in development. While its exact details are still TBD, rumor has it that Jenna Ortega is attached to the project. If so, don’t be surprised if the actress’ dance moves go viral once again with a “Day-O” reprise. RIP, Harry Belafonte.
In other news… Microsoft’s bid for Activision gets denied, TikTok tests out avatars, and Gen Z migrates to college towns.
Top Trends
YouTube → A Haunting In Venice
Twitter → John Mulaney
Google → Black Mirror
Spotify → “Rescued” - Foo Fighters
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FRONT PAGE
Britain brings down the hammer // Illustration by Kate Walker
The UK blocks Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition
The Future. The $68.7 billion tie-up of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard leveled up in difficulty thanks to the UK’s antitrust authority ruling that it was a no-go, citing growth in cloud gaming would give the corporation a monopoly. Although cloud gaming is still in its infancy, it’s expected to become a $14 billion business by 2026… which shows that regulators are now factoring in emerging markets in antitrust cases.
Game over?The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority blocked the acquisition on the basis it could harm competition in the budding cloud-gaming sector.
The regulator ruled Microsoft could eventually make Activision games exclusive to its Xbox gaming platform, which would hurt consumers.
Microsoft already represents 60-70% of the global cloud-gaming market.
Having stated that it wants to close the acquisition deal by July 18th, Microsoft plans to appeal quickly.
When the news hit, analysts shared they were no longer confident the deal would close. That sent Activision Blizzard’s stock down a steep 11%. But Microsoft was up 8% after it reported revenue increases in its content and services division — which, lo and behold, includes Xbox Game Pass.
If the appeal fails and emboldens ongoing lawsuits from the FTC and the EU’s antitrust regulator to also block the deal, Microsoft will have to pay a $3 billion breakup fee to Activision Blizzard.
TikTok moves to create generative-AI avatars
The Future. Social media consultant Matt Navarra showed off a new TikTok tool that allows users to create AI-generated headshots on the platform. Coupled with TikTok’s text-to-image background generator, the platform may soon make it possible for users to make videos of themselves without ever having to physically step in frame.
Build an influencerTikTok wants to transform you into an AI-generated avatar.
Users can upload three to ten photos and then pick two to five styles they want their images to mimic.
The tool then generates a suite of photos that can be set as your profile picture or posted as a TikTok story.
After a short period of time, TikTok will allegedly delete the original uploaded photos from its system — something that Lensa and other AI have faced criticism for not doing.
The feature is still in its experimentation phase, according to TikTok, and is only available in select regions.
But considering the popularity of Lensa (a paid app), this will likely be extremely popular when it does roll out more widely.
TOGETHER WITH SUNSAMA
Suffer-free work
Work should bring fulfillment and meaning to our lives. But we often feel overwhelmed, overworked, and overcommitted.
Meet Sunsama — the daily planner for ambitious professionals who want to create a healthy relationship with work (without the suffering part). Sunsama unifies your tasks, emails, and calendar in one calming view. That way, you can ensure your time is well-spent, and you can do good work, day in and day out, without burnout.
Work with focus, calm, and harmony.
Gen Z heads back to college… towns
The Future. Young people are moving to college towns in droves, but not necessarily the colleges they attended. The hope is to get the best of the big city at a big discount. That migration pattern may inspire emerging boomtowns to consider updates that cater to these new demographics.
City dormGrads want to stay close to campus… any campus.
US Census data analyzed by Today’s Homeowner found that Gen Z has been flocking to “metros that are socially, economically, and recreationally influenced by colleges.”
LinkedIn independently came to the same conclusion after studying new employment data on the platform.
Hot cities include Washington, DC; Columbia, South Carolina; Madison, Wisconsin; and Boston, Massachusetts.
These places give residents most of the trappings of big cosmopolitan cities like NYC or LA but with cheaper rents and general cost of living.
Additionally, studies have found that many Gen Zers, who are generally putting off marriage and starting a family, are flocking to college towns to be in a community of young people who share the trauma of going through college during the pandemic.
Call it urban group therapy.
Highlights
The best curated daily stories from around the web
Media, Music, & Entertainment
The ax is coming down hard at Disney, which has led to layoffs in every film and TV division, the folding of the 20th Digital Studio division, and cuts to D23’s staff. Read more → deadline
Due to Netflix’s international password crackdown, the streamer shed over a million users in Spain in the first three months of this year. Read more → bloomberg
Filmmaker David Ayer (Fury, End of Watch) is writing and producing an NFT racing series made with Unreal Engine 5 that will mix “elements of episodic streaming, gaming, and professional sports” and let audiences impact the storytelling. Read more → deadline
Fashion & E-Commerce
Famed designer Tom Ford seems to be stepping away from fashion altogether, releasing a “final collection” via three short videos featuring some of the biggest models in the world. Read more → nyt
Blue-jeans inventor Levi’s plans to decrease the 1,004 gallons of water it takes to make a single pair through “contextual water targeting” — cutting down on water consumption where it’s most scarce. Read more → businessoffashion
Cannabis-focused “smokewear” brand Sundae School held its first-ever New York fashion show to preview the company’s mix of fashion, weed, and Korean culture. Read more → businessoffashion
Tech, Web 3, & AI
Apple is doubling down on health and wellness with new AI-powered features, including a health coaching service (named “Quartz”) and a mood tracker that analyzes a user's “speech, what words they’ve typed, and other data on their devices.” Read more → bloomberg
The law school at UC Berkeley unveiled the first-ever formal policy on student use of generative AI — it can only be used to conduct research and correct grammar. Read more → reuters
Daniel Shin, the co-founder of the failed TerraLuna stablecoin and Luna cryptocurrency that made $40 billion in value disappear like a magic act, has been indicted in South Korea for violating capital-market laws. Read more → wsj
Creator Economy
Klarna is getting into social shopping with the rollout of a TikTok-style feed and an AI-powered, personalized recommendation system. Read more → tubefilter
YouTube is highlighting its newly-acquired NFL Sunday Ticket offering by sending a dozen of its platform’s top creators to cover the NFL Draft in Kansas City. Read more → variety
The American Booksellers Association and American Express are teaming up to offer $25 gift cards to #BookTok community members who shop at indie bookstores. Read more → tubefilter
TOGETHER WITH THE HUSTLE
Train your robot
No, for real. Soon (but also RN), tons of online content will be produced by AI. Here’s how we see it: you either ride the wave now or wait for the downpour later. We recommend the first one.
No need to look everywhere to get all caught up, either. The Hustle has a neat little AI content guide that’ll give you all the deets. It’s complete with example prompts and implementation tips to help you wield the robots at work.
Future Forecast
For those of you who like to stay a step ahead, here are a few things we’re excited about right now:
The newsletter that breaks down the business of wellness and fitness.
An intimate look at the life of Jonas Mekas, the godfather of American avant-garde cinema and pioneer of turning the camera onto himself before social media existed.
Drinking mushroom tea with the North Mississippi Allstars.
The show that feels all too real — Black Mirror is back!
Speaking of Black Mirror, it never hurts to secure your personal info online with Aura.
A unique and supportive non-profit created to help prisoners and addicts recover progressively.
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Today's email was brought to you by David Vendrell.Editing by Nick Comney. Publishing by Sara Kitnick.