Snap’s Iron Man

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Happy Wednesday, Future Party. Yesterday, Spotify announced that it had removed 50 million AI slop tracks from users’ recommendations this year alone. That means they can’t be discovered through the platform’s algorithm or by its editorial staff. That’s… a lot of songs. More than anything, it just goes to show how many tracks exist on the platform. Truly some wild metrics to think about.

Legendary Entertainment has reportedly made a bid to buy Lionsgate, the studio behind John Wick, The Hunger Games, and Saw.

The Big Picture: Lionsgate has been angling to be acquired for years, but made that ambition easier to achieve last year when it split from Starz. Hollywood is in the midst of major consolidation and transition, spurring even more M&A activity… so it’s possible Lionsgate (which has also been eyed by Netflix and a team-up of Banijay and Mediawan) will finally get the deal it’s been looking for.

Behind The Scenes: Legendary, the studio behind epic films like Dune and Godzilla, is looking to make an equally epic deal.

Last Offer: A takeover of Lionsgate would be a major step up for Legendary, which has mostly been in the business of producing blockbusters but has relied on studio partners like Universal, Warner Bros., and, now, Paramount to release them. What Lionsgate would give Legendary is a lot of passive income (libraries are the real moneymakers in Hollywood) and a theatrical distribution division.

In other words, it’s the making of a new major studio.

Coming Soon: Netflix is also on the hunt to acquire a studio, so a bidding war could be in the cards.

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Actor and producer Robert Downey Jr. has been named Snap’s Chief Customer Experience Officer, with a focus on promoting the company’s AR glasses.

Why It Hits: Snap has been on the frontier of AR glasses, and many consider its new SPECS to be the best in the industry. The big problem is that Snap has historically struggled to penetrate culture in the way rivals like Meta have. So, the company hopes recruiting one of Hollywood’s biggest names — one synonymous with the high-tech superhero Iron Man — could help move the needle.

Behind The Lenses: RDJ must really like the specs on SPECS.

Last Looks: Downey said that he’s “tested practically every wearable tech that’s come to market in the last 20 years and been largely unimpressed.” That changed when he tried SPECS, saying the technology “delivers on the promise of AR glasses made by a certain techno-optimist superhero I portrayed.”

Interestingly, Snap is really aiming for the sports crowd. The Downey-fronted series made its broadcast debut last night during the New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Tip-Off game. Another episode will air during Game 1 of the World Series on Friday.

Future Vision: Something tells us there’s an interesting SPECS activation for Avengers: Doomsday coming down the pipeline.

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86.5% of you voted Yes in yesterday’s poll: Do you watch documentary films?

“And I make them, too.”

“Documentaries hit deeper because they are REAL.”

“I especially like documentaries about World War II.”

“Done in an effective, informative, and interesting manner, documentaries are one of the most vital and engaging forms of film.”

“I do, but never in the theater.”

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.

🏈 Jay-Z has allegedly tapped himself to headline next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, while U2 is set to perform at halftime during Netflix’s Thanksgiving Eve NFL game.

🏀 The Atlanta Hawks will stream 74 regular-season games on Prime Video alongside local TV broadcasts.

🎮 Microsoft will reportedly launch a handheld gaming device in 2027 and a new Xbox console in 2028.

🤖 The US government has banned Chinese AI firm DeepSeek from federal civilian IT systems.

💉 OpenAI has acquired biotech startup Orchestra Bio to expand its AI capabilities in drug development.

🌳 Electric Plant has developed an AI model that can interpret electrical signals from trees and other plants.

🏆 Instagram has assembled a panel of judges for its second annual Rings awards, including Donatella Versace, A$AP Rocky, and Chloé Zhao.

🎥 Former Kickstarter and Lucasfilm execs have teamed up to bring a fan-focused digital studio called Popular Demand to life.

⚽ Soccer influencer Eman SV2 is unveiling a creator company called Frenzy, spanning content, commerce, and live events.