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Happy Wednesday, Future Party. A new mobile game for cat lovers and Pokémon Go fans is taking the internet by storm. CatchCat lets players “catch” cats they encounter in real life and turn them into playable cards. Developer Sebastian Seidel vibe-coded the project with the simple thought, “Haha, funny cat app,” but after racking up more than 2,000 downloads on day one, the game has become an unexpected hit. Just goes to show: never underestimate the power of cats.
DAILY TOP TRENDS
YouTube – Klara And The Sun
X
(Twitter)– Xenoverse 3Google – Blair Witch Project
Reddit – Taylor Swift
Letterboxd – Toy Story 5
Falling Stocks May Indicate AI Exhaustion
Falling stocks
Global markets have been under pressure this week as tech stocks — including SpaceX — continue to slide.
Why It Ticks: Tech companies at the forefront of AI are posting losses, raising concerns that the sector may be entering bubble territory.
SpaceX shares continued to fall for three straight sessions, plunging 16% on Monday for the company’s second-largest one-day loss on record. The stock fell below $150 on Tuesday morning — near where it opened earlier this month — leaving SpaceX down roughly $600 billion in value since its Nasdaq debut.
Meanwhile, the company is readying to sell investment-grade bonds for the first time, according to Bloomberg, fueling speculation that this could be “the start of a massive borrowing spree” to fund its AI ambitions.
And it’s not just SpaceX. Tech stocks across Asia also declined, suggesting the recent pullback is evolving into a much broader story.
Final Dividend: With AI leaders, chipmakers, and other tech stocks continuing to tumble, some investors are beginning to wonder if the market is showing early signs of “AI exhaustion.” As Alexander Redman, chief equity strategist at CLSA, put it, “It’s unnerving that you’re seeing this kind of volatility.” The bigger question, though, may be whether this is merely a reset — or, as Redman suggests, “the beginning of the end.”
The Future: The answer may not be far off. When Anthropic and OpenAI eventually hit the public markets, investors could get their biggest opportunity yet to weigh in on the future of AI.
Together with Laundry Sauce
Luxury Lives In The Details You Don’t See
The best luxuries are the ones nobody else can see.
The playlist that sets the mood. The coffee ritual you never skip. The signature scent people recognize long after you’ve left the room.
So, why should laundry feel like a chore?
Laundry Sauce transforms an everyday task into an experience, pairing premium detergent with luxurious fragrances inspired by the world’s finest perfumes.
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Don’t settle for ordinary detergent on your favorite clothes.
Give them the extra edge they deserve before you even open your wardrobe.
The Generational Box Office Divide
Boomer theater // Image by Kait Cunniff with DALL-E
Steven Spielberg’s recent big-budget picture, Disclosure Day, has yet to break even at the box office, with ticket sales falling 62% in its second week. The disappointing numbers point to a generational shift in what defines a box-office success.
Behind the Scenes: Disclosure Day was expected to be a blockbuster for Universal Pictures, which spent $80 million on marketing alone, but Gen Z simply didn’t show up.
According to a recent Fandango survey, Gen Z is the most active moviegoing demographic, yet 60% of Disclosure Day’s opening weekend audience was over 35.
Word of mouth among younger audiences has been largely dismissive of Spielberg’s latest film, with some labeling it “boomer Arrival.”
The box office contrast is especially stark when compared to last month’s surprise hit, Obsession, directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker. The film has since become Focus Features’ highest-grossing release to date.
Universal spent heavily on legacy marketing channels like TV advertising, but those efforts primarily reach Gen X and older audiences. Focus, meanwhile, leaned on social media and viral marketing to promote Obsession, helping generate the kind of word-of-mouth momentum that resonates with Gen Z.
Final Cut: Disclosure Day’s box office performance highlights a clear generational divide in moviegoing today. Younger audiences may no longer be drawn to legacy filmmakers like Spielberg, and the old playbook for marketing films could be becoming a thing of the past.
The Future of Film: As box office numbers continue to emphasize the generational divide, expect studios to pour more money into younger filmmakers and viral marketing strategies built for far more than just the TV screen.
Together with Levanta
Check Creator Impact With Levanta
If your e-commerce brand has partnered with content creators, you’ve probably wondered whether you’re actually getting the return you paid for.
Screenshots and impressions are easy. Proving impact on net-new sales is harder.
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DEEP DIVES
Read: Vulture examines why even acclaimed indie filmmakers often struggle to make a living.
Listen: The New York Times Magazine argues that America’s origin story is bigger than the Founding Fathers.
Attend: Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields Festival brings together an all-star lineup of female musicians for charity.
38% of you voted Not really in yesterday’s poll: Are you following the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
“Not at all. Never really got into soccer, except for the few years my son played as a youth.”
“I like the sport, but I really don’t like FIFA.”
“I’ve been waiting four years for this, and it’s even more awesome than I thought it would be. ‘The World Cup is just the US having a giant sleepover with the cousins we never see because our parents hate each other.’”
“Soccer is in my blood. I saw Pelé play when I was very young. I’ve been a fan, player, coach, and official. We watch soccer every weekend and the World Cup every four years.”
“More than any year prior. Went to the Iran-New Zealand game at SoFi and have been wearing my Sweden, Brazil, and Japan jerseys in rotation. Go USA!”
Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.
QUICK HITS
→ Entertainment / Media
🚌 After years in development, Legendary Entertainment is moving forward with a live-action Magic School Bus movie starring Elizabeth Banks as Ms. Frizzle.
📖 Ahead of Christopher Nolan’s film, ElevenLabs is releasing an AI-powered audiobook version of The Odyssey narrated by Michael Caine’s cloned voice.
🏀 Sotheby’s is auctioning the “Hand of OG” basketball from the Knicks’ historic NBA Finals victory.
→ Technology
🤖 UTA is partnering with Coactive AI to give creators deeper insight into audience engagement.
👓 Meta is launching its first smart glasses without Ray-Ban or Oakley branding, starting at $299.
🔮 After betting on your face, Meta is betting on the future with Arena, a standalone prediction markets app that would compete with Polymarket and Kalshi.
→ Fashion / E-commerce
👟 Vintage tees, retro shorts, and worn-in sneakers are turning the “gym goblin” into fitness’s latest fashion trend.
🕶️ Cannes Lions is turning into a runway for marketers and creators, where designer shades, statement jewelry, and woven bags double as status symbols.
🇫🇷 While Cannes obsesses over luxury accessories, Paris Fashion Week is embracing performance brands like Hoka and Satisfy.
Let us know how we are doing...
PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS
Today’s email was written by Deena ElGenaidi and Kait Cunniff.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.