Disney’s Dudes

PRESENTED BY GALACTIC FED

Happy Friday, Future Party. Major changes are happening across Hollywood as the entertainment industry reshapes itself for the future — layoffs, mergers, and a whole lot of digital creators. We dive into two of the biggest stories below.

Big changes at Netflix: the streamer is replacing Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria with former Disney exec Peter Rice.

The Big Picture: Netflix’s Chief Content Officer is the most powerful Hollywood exec when it comes to spending, with the company boasting an annual $20 billion content budget. That’s a big responsibility. With the streamer struggling to grow over the past year and overall audience engagement slowing, its stock has fallen some 25%. So, the company is looking at a major restructuring of its content team as a way to change the narrative.

Behind The Algorithm: Netflix cut 6% of its workforce this week — its first mass layoffs since 2022 — and Bajaria was given the pink slip, according to Puck.

But Netflix already had a replacement lined up.

His first day on the job will be October 26.

Closing Thoughts: Over the past three years, Bajaria has been instrumental in broadening Netflix’s slate, introducing podcasts, wooing digital creators, and landing sports rights like the NFL and WWE. That’s helped turn Netflix into a general-entertainment giant akin to a traditional studio. So, she’ll surely land on her feet somewhere soon.

Meanwhile, Rice is known for his strong creative relationships and wide range of experience. But most importantly for Netflix’s current woes, he’s primarily known as a film and scripted TV guy. Sometimes, it’s important to get back to basics.

Coming Soon: It’s been teased countless times over the years, but it feels inevitable that Netflix will launch a premium theatrical division. Rice has the relationships to make it happen.

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Disney announced that it has struck a wide-ranging partnership with sports-focused creator group Dude Perfect.

Why It Hits: Disney has been making major strides in the creator economy recently, inking deals with Dhar Mann and Like Nastya. It even struck a partnership with TikTok. But the Dude Perfect deal reveals that the Mouse House has creator ambitions beyond content — it wants to bring a digital-first perspective to its entire flywheel.

Behind The Scenes: Disney wants some Dude Perfect magic.

Last Shot: Dude Perfect has been making good on its big ambitions since its founding in 2009. The company now operates an 80,000-square-foot studio in Texas and has made its content (and brand deals) bigger and bigger every year. The company also raised $100 million from Highmount Capital in 2024 to fuel its expansion, especially into products and experiences, per THR. Partnering with Disney, which has a pretty high bar for the talent it puts on this high of a pedestal, feels like the culmination of all those efforts.

Now, please show us Mickey doing trick shots.

Prediction: Dude Perfect could give Disney a major edge in the stunt economy, allowing the Mouse House to both go viral on social media and bring people together IRL.

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61.9% of you voted I prefer ordering from a person in yesterday’s poll: When ordering food, do you prefer using a self-service kiosk or speaking with a person?

“I am one of those people who have complicated questions that only a human would understand.”

“I have celiac, so I really need to make sure I am talking to a human who can answer my questions and flag my order appropriately!”

“I tend not to frequent most of the unhealthy places that have kiosks. But in a weak moment, if the line is long, I’ll use them. Then again, I’m touching a dirty surface before I eat, so… yeah.”

“If it’s fast food or a casual chain, kiosks are much quicker and eliminate the risk of cashiers ringing something up incorrectly. If it’s somewhere with rotating specials or local specialties, you need a real person to help you decide what to order.”

“Better than a kiosk is an app on my phone! But that’s mostly because I’m cheap and always looking for a discount or rewards program. Did I say cheap? I meant savvy!”

“It kills me when you’re forced to use a kiosk, never even interact with a person, and then they want a 20% tip?”

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.

🎥 Top Hollywood agencies and production companies have formed the American Entertainment Alliance to push for legislation requiring studios and streamers to spend 50% of their original content budgets on independent productions.

📺 CNN has struck a multiyear partnership with Google to bring its reporting to new  generative AI features.

🎟️ Plex has inked a deal with Fandango to let users purchase movie tickets on its streaming platform. 

💰 Berkshire Hathaway is investing another $330 million in Italian tech firm Bending Spoons.

🗣️ Tech startup Kable is working on an AI-powered OS for TVs that would allow audiences to talk to their devices.

🖥️ A functioning Steve Wozniak-signed Apple 1 computer fetched $1,148,200 at auction.

👔 Designer Veronica Leoni is exiting the creative director post at Calvin Klein after four seasons.

👕 McQueen has let go of creative director Seán McGirr after three years.

🎧 Sony’s Walkman is back!