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It’s a new week, but we want to be even farther into the future when this replica lightsaber officially becomes available. Legendary Disney Imagineer Lanny Smoot says it may never happen… but we can hope. The Force is strong with this one.

DAILY TOP TRENDS

Fandoms Are Now Focus Groups In Hollywood

Images courtesy of Prime Video and Disney+ // Illustration by Kate Walker

Several Hollywood studios are organizing focus groups made up of super fans of particular IP to help guide how those stories are told and what marketing materials will be most effective for fandoms.

The Big Picture: Hollywood both loves and fears the fandoms who create the foundational audiences for its biggest, IP-driven blockbuster movies and shows, so giving them more influence on the creative process may either ensure that filmmakers don’t make choices that drive diehard fans insane… or simply sap all the distinctiveness out of a filmmaker’s vision.

Behind the Scenes: Hollywood execs are tired of upsetting the vocal minority of fans of properties like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and Marvel, who make their displeasure of certain choices very known.

  • When those “fans” feel like the purity of why they loved something has been compromised, they can lash out by review-bombing on Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb and by harassing talent on X or Insta (sometimes requiring studio intervention).

  • That led to a few different strategies to combat them — ignoring, confronting (as was the case with Obi-Wan Kenobi), or on a few occasions, listening to feedback (Sonic The Hedgehog).

  • But now it looks like the listening option is getting some more play (as long as it’s not toxic) — studios are assembling focus groups for franchise titles to vet story ideas and marketing materials, which has already led to some films getting changed.

Closing Credits: Making franchise films has become something of a tightrope in Hollywood. One studio marketing exec said that irking the fandom “comes with the territory, but it’s gotten incredibly loud in the last couple years,” while John Van Citters, VP of Star Trek brand development, said that’s because people now have a “bullhorn” in social media. 

So, why do it? Because when a title hits, it hits big. Just look at the list of top-grossing movies ever. As long as casual moviegoers are willing to show up for big IP, expect diehard fans to get a voice in the process… for better or worse.

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23andMe Has No Money… But Plenty Of Your DNA

Image by kjpargeter on Freepik

23andMe, the once buzzed-about biotech startup, is on the rocks… leaving a big question mark as to what will happen with the DNA of some 15 million customers since 2006.

Why It Hits: The seemingly inevitable fall of 23andMe (a company mostly built on customers having their DNA tested once and then moving on) may be the most high-profile case of a DTC biotech startup going under, sparking a much-needed conversation about the inherent rights around the privacy of biometric data.

Behind the Genes: When a company goes under, assets are usually sold off to pay debts… but things get a little dicier when those assets are DNA.

  • State of play: Once worth $6 billion, 23andMe has lost 99% of its value, with its stock now worth pennies. Co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki is trying to buy the company and take it private, but those plans have caused chaos within the company.

  • What’s going on with the DNA: 80% of customers allowed their DNA to be used for medical research, which it does with GSK. It anonymizes data before doing so and has also legally stonewalled law enforcement that’s tried to subpoena genetic data.

  • What you can do: You can call the company to delete your data on file (but seriously, who likes calling?), but customers can’t really take back their genetic data from researchers already using it.

The Future (or lack of): 23andMe is expected to go bankrupt as soon as next year, and although Wojcicki says the company will always ensure that customers can have their data deleted, the company could hypothetically lose control of its assets. A new owner may not give those assurances. Since the company doesn’t fall under HIPAA rules, it won’t legally have to… except in California and Florida, which have specific laws to protect genetic data. If 23andMe goes under, expect every state to advance similar bills quickly.

DEEP DIVES

Have you ever taken a DNA test with 23andMe?

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77.4% of you voted No in Friday’s poll: Do you play pickleball?

“Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one who doesn’t.”

“Honestly, it is just too trendy. I refuse to do it!”

“Pickleball has become a cult with retirees and has caused so many unnecessary injuries.”

“I have played for years and try to play at least 3 times per week. Fun, social way to get exercise.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter 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

🎮 Ubisoft stock leveled up 28% after a report that Tencent was considering buying out the company.

🎙️ Talk Tuah, the podcast from “Hawk Tuah Girl” Haliey Welch, is somehow #5 on Spotify’s podcast charts — a meme-miracle.

🏈 Football rights are pretty much the most popular sports rights in the world… but no one apparently wants to buy the NFL Network.

→ Technology

📱 Following in the footsteps of Snapchat, Meta has given Facebook a major redesign to attract Gen Zers.

🎥 Speaking of Meta, the company teased an AI video generator called “Movie Gen” to compete with OpenAI’s Sora.

🤖 Uh-oh: a survey by TechCrunch found that most AI companies are staying mum on whether they’ll abide by California’s new AI-training transparency law.

→ Fashion / E-commerce

⚓ Striking port workers have already reached a tentative agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance. Talk about a quick turnaround.

🛍️ TikTok’s first US e-commerce summit had livestreaming at the top of its mind.

🧥 Valentino wants a little brat summer energy for next season’s fashion by making Charli XCX its new brand ambassador.

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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Copy edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.

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