Jay-Z's new album "4:44" is now available for a free, easy, and legal download through Tidal's website.

Though "4:44" premiered June 30 as an exclusive release for Tidal and Sprint customers, Tidal made the album available for free on Sunday before taking the link down by the end of the day. 

If you missed your chance on Sunday, here's how you can download "4:44" now: Go to 444.tidal.com and enter the voucher code "SPRINT" along with an email address. 

You can download individual tracks or the entire album at once, either in MP3 or high-quality FLAC recordings. 

"4:44" has received critical acclaim since its release. Less than a week after its debut, the album has already been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

SEE ALSO: The strange and ingenious evolution of JAY-Z's approach to selling albums

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NOW WATCH: Marvel just dropped the first trailer for 'Black Panther'

Making any movie is hard, but being the director of a multi-million dollar blockbuster is really, really hard. 

That's been most evident in recent weeks when much of the chatter in Hollywood has been about the shocking firing of 'Star Wars' directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller from the untitled Han Solo movie over creative differences with Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy (Ron Howard has since been brought on to complete the movie). 

With so much at stake for a studio, the day-to-day job of a director isn't easy. They're the one who has to shoulder the burden of pulling off the (often times) short production schedule, all the while doing it in a way that satisfies his or her own creative impulses and appeases the high-powered cast, producers, and studio heads. And on top of it all, they're on the hook for the ticket sales of a movie expected to rake in a whole lot of money at the box office. 

Many have pulled it off (and been paid handsomely for it). But there are definite scares that pop up during the process of making a film.

Following the success of "Furious 7," the 2015 hit from Universal's profitable "Fast and the Furious" franchise that earned over $1.5 billion worldwide at the box office, director James Wan declined the studio's offer to return for the eighth movie in the popular franchise, "The Fate of the Furious." According to The Hollywood Reporter, one reason Wan passed was because the two-year production on "Furious 7" was so daunting (and included late rewrites following the death of franchise star Paul Walker) that it compromised Wan's health.   

F. Gary Gray ("Straight Outta Compton," "The Italian Job") signed on to direct "The Fate of the Furious," and the movie went on to earn over $1.2 billion worldwide and is currently the fifth-highest grossing movie of 2017 domestically ($225.4 million).

Gray is sucking in the accolades. He now has the distinction of being the first black filmmaker to make a $1 billion movie, and he's even getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year. But he'll be the first to tell you that making "Fate of the Furious" wasn't easy, and at times he certainly felt the pressure of the franchise pushing down on him. 

"It's kind of a schizophrenic thing," Gray told Business Insider. "When you create you don't want to be influenced by that. But in those waking, sobering moments you're like 'Oh, s---! This movie has to perform!' Especially given the performance of the last few. Then you take that hat off and jump back into creative mode. I let the creativity influence me. I don't allow the numbers to influence me but I would be lying if I said it doesn't pinch you every once in a while, while you're in the process of making a movie. You have to acknowledge that it has to do business in order to be successful." 

But then there's also managing the egos that come with a blockbuster. Gray walked into a franchise that was already showing signs of unrest, and it hit a breaking point for two of its stars in the middle of production on "Fate of the Furious." 

Last August, during his final week of shooting, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, a star in the franchise since 2011's "Fast Five," took to Facebook to call out some of his male costars for being "candy a--es," writing that some don't “conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals.” It turned out Johnson was calling out the franchise's main star and producer, Vin Diesel. There had been rumors for years since Diesel rejoined the franchise, after a two-film hiatus with 2009's "Fast & Furious," that he was a distraction on set.

Though some felt the whole thing was a publicity stunt, the proof is in the movie. Johnson and Diesel are literally never on screen at the same time. The storyline of Diesel's Dom character going rogue on his "family" made it easier for them to be apart, as Johnson's Hobbs character spends most of the movie trying to track down Dom while Dom is seemingly doing evil acts with the movie's villain, Cipher (Charlize Theron). But at the end of the movie when they all reunite, it's almost comical how the shots are positioned so it's not evident that neither star is present at the rooftop gathering at the same time.

It's certainly something Gray had to navigate, through he won't divulge how much. 

"I really can't," Gray said, when asked to comment on the feud. "First, because I'm a professional. It's something I will always steer everyone to Dwayne and Vin. When you make a movie on this level, with this size, it's so massive. You're taking about four continents, seven different units, and in some cases being filmed simultaneously. Hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. It's going to be a challenge. And everyone has their process. So I can't judge them. I'm very, very proud of the movie. And I hope they are, too. In terms of just their process, I don't have much to say. I'm happy we made it to the other side." 

Now the question becomes where Gray goes from here. The "Fast and Furious" franchise certainly isn't done yet. Is he up for another movie?

"Who knows what the future holds," Gray said, noting that he's currently focused on getting his production company off the ground. "I can say right now at this very second, I'm happy with 'Fate of the Furious.' I'm very happy with that movie. That's the one I poured my life and heart into and anything above and beyond that, who knows."  

"The Fate of the Furious" is now available to buy digitally and will be on Blu-ray/DVD beginning July 11.

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Less than a week after its release, Jay-Z's critically acclaimed new album "4:44" has already been certified platinum, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 

RIAA tweeted the news with a picture of Jay and the company's chairman and CEO Cary Sherman standing beside the platinum plaque for the album.

"Props to JAY, he’s done it again!" Sherman said in a statement. "Another Platinum album adds to an already iconic career."

"4:44" is now Jay-Z's 13th platinum solo studio album — the most of any hip-hop artist in history, according to RIAA.

It's unclear how the album reached platinum certification so quickly despite it being a Tidal exclusive.

Complex has speculated that Sprint, Tidal's partner in the release of "4:44," may have purchased a bulk number of copies in the same way that Samsung purchased a million copies of Jay's 2013 album "Magna Carta Holy Grail."

SEE ALSO: The strange and ingenious evolution of JAY-Z's approach to selling albums

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NOW WATCH: HBO released an incredible, action-packed trailer for 'Game of Thrones' season 7

Want to stay up to date with this year's IGNITION conference and all things media? Subscribe here to receive our free weekly IGNITION newsletter.

Business Insider is excited to announce that Lachlan Murdoch will speak at IGNITION 2017: The Future of Media.

Lachlan, the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, serves as the executive chairman of 21st Century Fox, the executive cochairman of News Corp., and the executive chairman of Nova Entertainment Group.

Since taking over for their father two years ago, Lachlan and his brother, James, who serves as the CEO of 21st Century Fox, have made maintaining a positive company culture a priority. There may not be a better example of this than the firing of Fox News' superstar host Bill O'Reilly earlier this year after a multitude of sexual-harassment allegations became public.

We are thrilled to hear Lachlan's thoughts on the future of media given his extensive experience leading one of the most successful media empires on the planet. We can't wait to hear his thoughts on the effects of the struggling cable industry and the plateauing movie-theater industry on 21st Century Fox's business as well as on News Corp.'s continued push into the digital world.

Lachlan joins HBO CEO Richard Plepler and Verizon executive Marni Walden as speakers at this year's IGNITION conference. We will continue to announce new speakers throughout the summer, so continue to check in to see who else will be attending.

Attend IGNITION 2017: The Future of Media

Business Insider IGNITION 2017 will take place November 29-30 at the Time Warner Center in New York City. Don't miss out on an opportunity lock in your discounted Early-Bird or group rates to hear from the most influential people in media!

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NOW WATCH: We drove a brand-new Tesla Model X from San Francisco to New York — here's what happened

Having just crested the half-year mark of 2017, it's the perfect time to play the best games of 2017. It's been quite a year already!

Somewhere in between exploring the massive, adventure-filled world of "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," and the massive, adventure-filled world of "Horizon Zero Dawn," it became clear that 2017 was shaping up to be one of the best years in the history of video games.

Before we look ahead to the second half of 2017, let's look back on all the excellent games that have already arrived this year. Here are the best video games of 2017 (so far), ranked:

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's new console is having an incredible run, and the future looks even brighter

11. "Persona 5"

Devotees of the "Persona" role-playing game series aren't saying that "Persona 5" is the absolute best the series has to offer — that distinction tends to rest with the third game in the series. Instead, fans are calling "Persona 5" a strong new entry in a beloved series. It's not without its flaws, but there's plenty to love.

Like previous games in the series, the story of "Persona 5" focuses on a Japanese teenager. Also like previous games in the series, there's much more to the story of "Persona 5" than what's on the surface. You'll explore the confines of high school life during the day, making friends and completing various tasks. When night comes, you'll head into battle with those friends in a turn-based RPG format.

If you've enjoyed the "Final Fantasy" series, or have a particular fondness for narrative-driven, quirky games, you'll want to check out "Persona 5."

Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4

10. "Tekken 7"

In a surprising twist, there are several excellent fighting games competing for your attention in 2017 already. The most recent game to enter that fight is "Tekken 7," the latest entry in the long-running "Tekken" fighting series.

Mainstays like Heihachi and Jin are back, as well as fan favorites like Eddy Gordo and Panda (who is a literal panda). After months of playtesting the game in Japanese arcades, the version released for home consumption this year offers the most sophisticated gameplay of any "Tekken" game to date. The inclusion of a meaty — albeit silly — story mode makes "Tekken 7" a strong game for a larger audience than usual. If nothing else, it's a killer weekend rental to play with friends.

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Arcade (really!)

9. "Prey"

More than anything else, 2017 has been an incredible year for variety in gaming. "Prey" is an excellent example of that. It's a game in the style of "BioShock," mixing first-person gameplay with horror elements and environmental storytelling. 

Beyond just being beautiful to gawk at, it's a thrilling game to play. You're not simply shooting enemies — you're attempting to decipher them from the environment you're in. The enemy aliens can take the form of everyday objects, thus making your task all the more suspense-filled. An ordinary jaunt through a rote office turns into a panic-inducing creep; "Prey" revels in fear of the unknown.

Though the story in "Prey" stumbles in places, as does the gameplay, it's an overall worthwhile game to check out. 

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC

Twitter allowed a celebrity with a verified account and over 7 million followers to distribute revenge porn on the social network for roughly 30 minutes before the explicit photos were removed.

On Wednesday, Rob Kardashian's verified Twitter account posted nude, body-shaming photos he said were of his ex-girlfriend Blac Chyna. He first posted the photos on his Instagram account but later tweeted them when he claimed his Instagram was shut down.

While the three photos he shared were removed after roughly 30 minutes, Kardashian's Twitter account and his tweets referencing the photos are still online. His Instagram account appears to be suspended.

It's unclear whether Kardashian removed the photos himself or whether they were deleted. Kardashian could not immediately be reached for comment.

A Twitter representative said the company did not comment on individual accounts for privacy and security reasons but pointed Business Insider to its "hateful conduct" policy. One key line in the policy reads:

"The consequences for violating our rules vary depending on the severity of the violation and the person's previous record of violations. For example, we may ask someone to remove the offending tweet before they can tweet again. For other cases, we may suspend an account."

The incident highlights Twitter's problem with policing the harassment and explicit content that has long plagued its network. The company has made multiple attempts to crack down on revenge porn, and it has recently announced multiple features and reporting tools aimed at curbing harassment.

An Instagram representative told Business Insider in a statement: "At Instagram, we value maintaining a safe and supportive space for our community, and we work to remove reported content that violates our guidelines."

SEE ALSO: Twitter has a very strong case to delete Trump's account

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NOW WATCH: Here's the TV segment that prompted Trump's vicious Twitter attack on Mika Brzezinski

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's "Beachgate" scandal was immortalized in a sand sculpture on the Fourth of July.

It all began when he shut down the government after the legislature couldn't pass a budget on Friday, closing state parks and beaches.

Then, NJ Advance Media photojournalist Andrew Mills took photos of Christie lounging with friends and family on the empty Island Beach State Park outside the state-owned summer house of the governor.

The photos went viral, many New Jerseyans were outraged, and Christie defiantly defended his actions, sarcastically saying it was a scandal that he'd been caught enjoying time with his family.

Late Monday night, the legislature agreed to a budget deal, and Christie signed it into law, ending the government shutdown. This allowed state-run beaches to open for the Fourth of July.

Around 9 a.m. on Tuesday at Seaside Heights beach, where, as NBC 4 New York reports, Larry and Tom make a sand sculpture every Independence Day, the sculptors began their masterpiece. Four hours later, they had completed Christie, lounging in his beach chair:

But before the sun set, someone had destroyed the sculpture, according to NBC, leaving a smiley face in its place.

SEE ALSO: 'I didn't get any sun': Photos show Chris Christie lounging on state beach he closed in government shutdown

DON'T MISS: 'I'm sorry they're not the governor': Chris Christie's many defenses for lounging on the beach when New Jerseyans couldn't

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Revenge porn is illegal in California, which means Rob Kardashian could face jail time and fines for posting illicit pictures of his ex Blac Chyna on Twitter early Wednesday.

The reality TV star prompted widespread outrage on Wednesday after he tweeted several sexually explicit pictures of Chyna, the model with whom he has a 7-month old child. 

Digital harassment laws are relatively new. Today, 38 states plus Washington D.C. have something on the books to charge people who use social media to spread sexually explicit photos or videos without the consent of the person featured. 

In California, where Kardashian lives, there are a variety of legal consequences that Kardashian could face as a result of his actions, including the potential of a restraining order that could cause him to lose custody of his daughter. 

Business Insider spoke with two lawyers about what legal actions are available to Chyna, as well as other victims of digital harassment in the state of California.  Here's the deal:

Criminal Court

While digital harassment is a familiar concept in today's internet landscape, revenge porn has only been criminalized under California law since 2013, and it wasn't until 2014 that anyone was charged under the law.

Under California Penal Code 647(j)(4), Chyna can file a police report, but the charges would have to be brought on by the state. It is up to the police department to recommend the case to the district attorney, who then decides if the state pursues criminal charges using taxpayer money. 

Under this law, it is illegal to distribute sexual images or videos of someone without their consent, so long as it is intended to cause serious emotional distress and so long as the person depicted experiences distress. 

"The issue will be establishing that he knew or should have known it would cause her distress and that she actually suffered emotional distress as a result," said Meaghan Zore, a California attorney who specializes in technology policy. "Based on the comments he posted alongside the images/videos, it certainly seems that he intended to cause her emotional distress."

While conversationally known as revenge porn, the distribution of such images is legally considered disorderly conduct, which is a misdemeanor.

Potential penalty: For a first misdemeanor offense, a perpetrator would face up to 6 months in jail and/or a $1,ooo fine, according to Zore. If the victim is a minor—which Chyna is not—or if the perpetrator has prior convictions for revenge porn, the punishment may be increased to a year in jail or a $2,000 fine. 

"What's important to note in these situations is that $1,000—especially for someone of his wealth— is really nothing and will likely have zero impact on Kardashian," Zore said. "However, the potential emotional harm from a revenge porn incident for some victims can be life changing...Unfortunately, many still view it as a victimless crime. It most certainly is not."

Civil Court

Another option is for Chyna to take Kardashian to civil court. She could sue him under California civil code 1708.85, which similarly deals with the nonconsensual distribution of sexual materials that cause harm to the depicted party. 

Unlike the criminal route, the civil code does not require that the person distributing the materials intended to harm the depicted party. It's generally less challenging to prove in court. It also means that damages would be paid to Chyna and her lawyers, rather than the state. 

"These cases are worth a lot of money," said Erica Johnstone, a lawyer who specializes in representing people who have been harmed through the use of technology.

Potential penalty: Unlike the $1,000 criminal fine, the damages in civil cases can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

In addition to a financial settlement, Chyna could get "injunctive relief," which would legally prohibit Kardashian from posting such photos in the future. Mischa Barton settled a similar case in court this June. 

Johnstone said that while Chyna could take Kardashian all the way to a jury trial, most of these cases are settled before they get that far.

Family Court  

Perhaps Chyna's best option is to pursue charges under the family code, according to Johnstone. Since Chyna and Kardashian had a previous relationship, revenge porn is considered "abuse" under California's Domestic Violence Prevention Act, Family Code 6203(4). 

Under this statute,  Chyna could file for a restraining order, and Kardashian could lose a future custody battle over their daughter, Dream. 

"If I were her lawyer, I would get a domestic violence restraining order and work it out by settlement agreement," Johnstone said. 

When such charges are filed, a judge issues a same day restraining order and a hearing is scheduled for three weeks out to figure out a longer term solution. 

Potential penalty: If "abuse" is determined, it can be used in custody hearings, according to WithoutMyConsent.org. Perpetrator of "abuse" cannot get sole or joint legal or physical custody a child. 

SEE ALSO: Twitter let a celebrity with millions of followers post revenge porn for 30 minutes before it was taken down

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A lost photo may shed new light on the mysterious death of famous aviator Amelia Earhart.

The photo, which will be featured in a new History channel special called "Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence," was discovered in the National Archives more than 80 years after her death. In it, a woman who appears to be Earhart sits on a dock in the Marshall Islands near to a man who resembles her navigator Fred Noonan.

After becoming the first female pilot to fly a plane across the Atlantic Ocean, Earhart set off to circumnavigate the globe in July 1937. Her plane vanished without a trace during the flight and, by 1939, both Earhart and Noonan were declared dead.

But the new photo, which shows figures that appear like Earhart and Noonan, could challenge the common theory that the plane crashed somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Shawn Henry, former executive assistant director for the FBI, told NBC News that he's confident the photo is legitimate and pictures Earhart sitting on the dock.

"When you pull out, and when you see the analysis that's been done, I think it leaves no doubt to the viewers that that's Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan," said Henry. Her plane appears to be on a barge in the background being towed by a large ship.

According to NBC News, the team that uncovered the photo believes that the photo demonstrates that Earhart and Noonan were blown off course. The latest photo could suggest that Earhart was captured by the Japanese military, experts told NBC News.

While current Japanese authorities told the news outlet that they had no record of Earhart ever being in their custody, American investigators insisted that the photo strongly suggests that Earhart survived the crash and was taken into captivity. 

"We believe that the Koshu took her to Saipan [the Mariana Islands], and that she died there under the custody of the Japanese," said Gary Tarpinian, the executive producer behind the History project.

SEE ALSO: Researchers Say They've Found A Piece Of Amelia Earhart's Lost Plane

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Last week, "Hawaii Five-0" stars Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park left the show after CBS refused to pay the Asian actors as much as their white costars. Sources told Variety that Kim and Park were seeking salaries equal to those of Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin.

CBS' final offer to the actors was reportedly "10-15% lower" than the salaries of Caan and O'Loughlin. After Kim spoke about his departure on Wednesday, CBS released a follow-up statement:

"Daniel and Grace have been important and valued members of 'Hawaii Five-0' for seven seasons. We did not want to lose them and tried very hard to keep them with offers for large and significant salary increases. While we could not reach an agreement, we part ways with tremendous respect for their talents on screen, as well as their roles as ambassadors for the show off screen, and with hopes to work with them again in the near future."

The CBS reboot of the Hawaii-based procedural drama premiered in 2010, and Kim and Park starred alongside O'Loughlin and Caan for seven seasons.

Kim and Park aren't the first to fight for equal pay. Last year, "Shameless" star Emmy Rossum held out for equal pay to her costar William H. Macy before eventually reaching a deal.

SEE ALSO: The Asian stars of 'Hawaii Five-0' quit the show after CBS refused to pay them as much as their white costars

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In the new "Super Mario" game, there is no such thing as game over.

When "Super Mario Odyssey" launches this October for Nintendo's Switch console, it'll be the first major "Super Mario" game to arrive without a concept of "game over." Instead, you'll simply lose a handful of coins every time you "die" in the game. 

And, even if you run out of coins altogether, there's still no such thing as "game over."

That's according to Nintendo's "Super Mario Odyssey" Japanese Twitter account, which specifically spelled out as much in a recent tweet.

"If you fail with nine coins or less, it won't be Game Over. Please enjoy exploring without worry!" the tweet says (translated from Japanese). As "Super Mario Odyssey" is a game focused on Mario exploring large, open areas, it sounds like the lack of punishment for dying is a measure of making that exploration all the more enjoyable and care-free.

It's not clear what will happen in these instances of having no coins and dying.

As video games evolve, some tropes fall by the wayside.

"High scores," for instance, are no longer commonplace in every game. The concept of "lives" has also largely fallen off. Given the long history of "Super Mario," some of those tropes are expected in the series — which is why it might rub some folks the wrong way that Nintendo is killing the "game over" concept in "Super Mario Odyssey." Nintendo has, in recent years, been accused of making its games too easy. In the "New" Super Mario game series, for instance, there are functions built-in to outright skip difficult areas — these are entirely optional functions, largely created so that young children will have an enjoyable time playing.

But Nintendo is a company with a long history, and that long history includes kids who grew up playing classics like "Super Mario World." It's those fans, now adults, who tend to be Nintendo's harshest critics when the company makes its games more accessible (read: "easier").

All of which is to say one thing: Even though a game's challenge doesn't rely on time-wasting punishments like "game over" screens, it's entirely possible that this move will be perceived as Nintendo "making Mario easier." In the end, though, if this move makes the new "Super Mario" game more accessible to the millions of people who don't have 20 years of Nintendo fan baggage, then Nintendo will have succeeded.

"Super Mario Odyssey" arrives on October 27 for the Nintendo Switch.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's new console is having an incredible run, and the future looks even brighter

DON'T MISS: I played Nintendo's insane new 'Super Mario' game for the Switch — here's what it was like in person

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NOW WATCH: Nintendo dropped another trailer for 'Super Mario Odyssey' — and it looks amazing

Nowadays, most of us sign our names on checks and documents in plain ol’ cursive.

But some signatures are way better than others, whether they’re elaborate illustrations, cool designs, or simply gorgeous handwriting.

We’ve chosen the 9 famous people with the coolest signatures throughout history. 

Produced by Alex Kuzoian. Original reporting by Megan Willett and Skye Gould.

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If there's one thing Luc Besson is known for, it's creating incredible images on screen that we've rarely, if ever, seen before. 

"The Fifth Element" director has done that once more with his new movie, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets," which hits theaters July 21. But Besson's vision at the idea phase can be confusing to those around him, including his crew. And that's exactly what happened when he attempted to explain to them the incredible 18-minute action sequence he wanted to do in the beginning of the movie, in which a vast dessert is actually a giant intergalactic market.

“After I wrote the sequence, I explained it to the crew for an hour,” Besson told Entertainment Weekly. “They were smiling, but I could see on their faces that they didn’t understand a thing.”

Basically, the movie's hero Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and his partner Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are brought to a desert planet that, when you wear special glasses, reveals a massive city filled with zigzagging streets and many, many stores.

With his special glasses, Valerian enters the city to complete his mission while Laureline, who is not wearing glasses, only sees him walking around the dessert looking like he's doing some kind of mime performance. At one point, Valerian is chased through the city and finds himself stuck between the desert and city dimensions, leading to a dramatic conclusion.

Now you might understand the crew's confusion. 

So to make it simpler for them, Besson enlisted the help of the students at his film school in Paris, L’École de la Cité. The director, who launched the free school in 2012, made part of the year's school curriculum for the 120 student body to create a demo of the scene. Besson then brought them to the soundstage where the movie was being made and had them shoot it.

“They were the actors, they were the cameramen, the lighting people, the grips. Costumes, accessories," Besson said. "We put the 600 shots on the wall and one by one we shot them. They did everything in three weeks, and then we edited and put in some temp music.”

"And then the crew understood the scene," Besson said with a laugh: 

Having seen the movie, we can tell you, this action sequence is one of the highlights.

SEE ALSO: "Fate of the Furious" director on the feud between Vin Diesel and The Rock: "I'm happy we made it to the other side"

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NOW WATCH: Here's what it’s like inside this library of Donald Trump tweets

Film studio profits have been suffering in recent years, and the "desperation level in Hollywood" has reached new highs, according to a new research note from Morgan Stanley. 

Hard times and thin margins could result in a major push toward a service called "premium video on demand" — streaming newly released movies at home for a higher fee in lieu of visiting the cinema — that may boost profits at studios but would likely harm movie theater operators, according to the bank.

Just how bad is it for film studios right now? Despite the gaudy, billion-dollar global box office figures, most of Hollywood isn't earning huge profits, thanks in part to the onslaught of streamable, high-quality TV content.

Apart from Disney, which in 2016 pulled in $1.8 billion in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), the studio industry generated a combined EBITDA of just $1 billion. Paramount and Sony suffered losses. 

One solution to juice those margins that Morgan Stanley says is "inevitable" is premium video on demand.

The idea is to make home viewing available when consumers are most aware of a movie — during the theatrical release when buzz and marketing are at a peak. Right now, people have to wait several months to rent or buy a new release.

Studios would charge $30 to $50 for the early access, compared with the $5 to $7 it currently costs to watch a movie on demand months after the theatrical release. 

Premium video wouldn't necessarily attract hordes of new customers, since it would likely cannibalize sales from people who visit theaters.

Market research conducted by Morgan Stanley's suggests that 25% of consumers would be interested in the product, but those who expressed interest already go to the movies. If you pay extra to watch a new release at home, you probably won't also go see it at the local Regal theater. 

"There is no evidence in our work that P-VOD is going to bring new consumers into the market," the bank's research note said. 

But, given a higher price point, this service could still amount to a significant increase in sales. Morgan Stanley estimates Hollywood studios could reap $2 billion in additional annual revenue, assuming a price point of $35 per premium rental. 

This scenario doesn't bode as well for movie theater owners, which could see attendance dip by 8% within a few years if consumers take to the service. Regal and Cinemark, two of the largest theater operators, could see EBITDA decline by 25% and 15%, according to the research note. 

That's a potentially dark future for theater owners, but it's still entirely hypothetical at this point, Morgan Stanley acknowledges. 

Studios and theater operators have contractual agreements that would have to be sorted out, and the theater owners could end up negotiating a slice of the revenue generated from premium video. Disney, which is still generating massive profits from its theatrical releases, has a vested interest in the continued health of cinemas like Regal and Cinemark.

It's also possible that people find the notion of paying $35 to watch a movie at home objectionably high and the service sputters without leaving much of an impact. 

But, given the current movie-studio malaise, Morgan Stanley thinks it's all but certain that Hollywood will give it a shot. 

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Streaming service SoundCloud has cut about 40 percent of its staff, in a move that will allow the company to better compete with its larger music streaming rivals, Spotify and Apple Music, Bloomberg reports. 

SoundCloud informed its staff Thursday that it would be cutting 173 jobs from its team of 420 employees.

In January, SoundCloud said it was at risk of running out of money this year, especially if its subscription service continued to struggle. (The last official numbers we have show SoundCloud losing around $52 million in 2015.)

The company will reportedly be closing its San Francisco and London offices and consolidating its operations to two locations, its Berlin headquarters and another office in New York. 

In a blog post on SoundCloud's website, Alex Ljung, the company’s co-founder and CEO, discussed how the cost-cutting move will work to ensure the company's "path to long-term, independent success."

"By reducing our costs and continuing our revenue growth, we’re on our path to profitability and in control of SoundCloud’s independent future," Ljung wrote. 

Though SoundCloud has around 175 million listeners, the company remains unprofitable. 

Its struggles have largely been due to the fact that the majority of its content consists of free music from independent artists. The company's paid subscription service in the vein of Spotify and Apple Music, SoundCloud Go (rebranded as SoundCloud Go+), has failed to make much noise in an already crowded market.  

SoundCloud was not immediately available for comment.

SEE ALSO: SoundCloud has lost its fourth senior exec this year

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As "Game of Thrones" gets frighteningly close to its endgame and the characters get closer to each other geographically, the episodes get more thrilling.

Now that there's more battles, twists, deaths, wildfire explosions, Frey pies, and alliances, the episodes have gotten more intense — with more action than exposition — but there are still some stand-out episodes from the earlier seasons. 

In preparation for season 7 premiering July 16 (so close, but feels as far as Daenerys has been from Westeros this whole time), we ranked the 15 best episodes just in case you're one of those people who doesn't have enough time to re-watch the entire series in less than two weeks.

Here are the best episodes of "Game of Thrones," ranked. 

SEE ALSO: All the 'Game of Thrones' deaths, ranked from least tragic to most tragic

15. “The Old Gods and the New” — season 2, episode 6

First aired: May 6, 2012

Biggest moment: "Where are my dragons?"

This mid-season episode feels more like a finale or a penultimate episode. As a result of Tyrion's deal with Dorne, Myrcella Baratheon is sent away on a boat and everyone watches, and Cersei threatens Tyrion, blaming him for the separation. On the way back to the Red Keep, there's a riot in King's Landing. Also, Tyrion slaps Joffrey. And over in Harrenhal, Arya is serving as Tywin Lannister's cup bearer. Littlefinger shows up in the same room as her, but it's unclear whether or not he recognizes her (the scene's intensity rivals that of the Red Wedding and any scene with Ramsay in it). 

14. "Two Swords" — season 4, episode 1

First aired: April 6, 2014

Biggest moment: The Hound wants some chicken and helps Arya get Needle back/cross Polliver's name off her list.

We're introduced to Oberyn Martell, who arrives in King's Landing for Joffrey and Margery's wedding. Joffrey makes fun of Jaime's lack of a hand. Brienne persuades Jaime to keep his word on protecting Arya and Sansa Stark. Jon Snow almost gets executed for his time undercover with the Wildlings (aka: for sleeping with Ygritte), but Maester Aemon releases him. 

13. “The Children” — season 4, episode 10

First aired: June 15, 2014

Biggest moment: Tyrion escapes with the help of Jaime and Varys, then kills Shae and his father, Tywin (while he poops in the privy). 

And that's not all. Brienne takes down The Hound, Arya gets on a boat to Braavos, and Daenerys chains her dragons (except Drogon, who's missing). Stannis Baratheon and his army interrupt Jon Snow's negotiations with Mance Rayder, and Jon burns Ygritte's body north of the Wall. 

David Benioff and D. B. Weiss were nominated for the 2014 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for this episode.

"Selma" director Ava DuVernay will write and direct a five-episode limited series about the historic Central Park Five case for Netflix, the company announced Thursday.

DuVernay previously worked with Netflix on her critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated 2016 documentary, "13th."

While this new project will be a scripted series, it will return to many of the same themes as "13th," which examined race and the US criminal justice system.

In 1989, five teenagers from Harlem — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise — were wrongfully convicted of raping Trisha Meili in New York City's Central Park. In 2014, all five were exonerated and reached a settlement.

Each episode of DuVernay's new series will focus on one of the five teenagers, and the story will span from 1989 to 2014. Netflix says that the series "exposes the breakdown of our criminal justice system at every phase of the notorious Central Park Five case."

"I had an extraordinary experience working with Netflix on '13TH' and am overjoyed to continue this exploration of the criminal justice system as a narrative project with Cindy Holland and the team there," DuVernay said in a statement. "The story of the men known as Central Park Five has riveted me for more than two decades. In their journey, we witness five innocent young men of color who were met with injustice at every turn — from coerced confessions to unjust incarceration to public calls for their execution by the man who would go on to be the President of the United States."

The series will be produced Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King from Participant Media, Oprah Winfrey/Harpo Films, Jane Rosenthal and Berry Welsh from Tribeca Productions and DuVernay, and is due to come out on the streaming service in 2019. 

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The professional camera company RED is best known for its high-end cameras used to film blockbuster movies like "Transformers: The Last Knight," "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2," and "The Martian," among many others.

But now it's getting into the smartphone game. On Thursday, the company said it plans to release a smartphone in early 2018 called the Hydrogen One.

The Hydrogen One will run the Android operating system on a 5.7-inch "hydrogen holographic display." It's not clear how sharp the display will be, but RED touts that it'll display 3D "holographic" content without the need for special glasses, though the company didn't specify how 3D holographic content differs from traditional 3D content.

The Hydrogen One will also feature a modular camera unit that users can switch out with various camera modules for "higher-quality motion and still images." You'll even have the ability to use a module that captures 3D footage in RED's own holographic video format, called Hydrogen. However, those modules won't be ready at launch.

Not forgetting the importance of audio, RED is also adding a proprietary audio format for "multidimensional" audio to match your holographic content. "Think 5.1 on your headphones," RED's marketing claims, referring to surround sound. From the only available photo of the Hydrogen One, it looks as though it'll have a headphone jack.

Should you be an owner of a RED Scarlet, Epic, or Weapon camera, you'll be able to use the Hydrogen One to control the camera.

RED's Hydrogen One smartphones will come in two finishes: a $1,200 aluminum model and a $1,600 titanium model.

Little is known about the Hydrogen One's internal specs. For the price it's asking, we'd expect it to run on the latest and most powerful processor, with plenty of RAM to handle all that 3D holographic content the company is boasting. Anything else, and the high price tag would be a tough sell.

You can preorder the Hydrogen One today from RED's website for an estimated delivery in the first quarter of 2018. It'll be interesting to see how a company that makes cameras designed for cinematic features will fare against more-traditional smartphone cameras, like the iPhone 7's or the best-in-class Galaxy S8's.

SEE ALSO: I picked 14 parts from 8 different smartphones to make my dream phone – see which ones made the cut

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Around this time last year, thousands of people were causing stampedes in major cities around the world while playing Pokémon Go, the hit game by Niantic Labs.

While the crowds are mostly gone one year later, Pokémon Go has been nothing short of a global phenomenon. It's amassed over $1 billion in revenue faster than any mobile game and boasts around 65 million monthly users.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and others have also heralded Pokémon Go as the first successful use case for augmented reality, the nascent tech that overlays virtual objects onto the real world.

To celebrate its one-year anniversary, Niantic is running an in-game promotion until July 24 that lets players catch a limited-edition Pikachu and buy a special bundle of items in the virtual shop.

Pokémon Go by the numbers:

• Pokémon Go has brought in $1.25 billion in worldwide revenue from in-app purchases, according to analytics firm App Annie.
• While user growth has steadily declined since its release one year ago, the game had about 60 million monthly users in June, according to Apptopia. Same spikes in growth have correlated to temporary promotions that release more kinds of specific Pokémon into the world.

What's next:

• Now that initial hype has passed, Niantic has started focusing its efforts on improving the game for its most loyal players. A new gym system was recently introduced alongside cooperative raid battles, and Niantic CEO John Hanke recently told The Verge that trading and player-versus-player combat is coming.
• Multiple real-world events put on by Niantic are expected to draw tens of thousands of people this summer. This first ticketed event in Chicago later this month is expected to draw around 20,000 players, while an event in Japan later this summer is expected to draw several hundred thousand.

SEE ALSO: The best tips for Raid Battles and defeating bosses in Pokémon Go

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“Hawaii Five-0” showrunner Peter Lenkov tweeted his comments on Thursday on the departure of series regulars Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim over CBS decision not to pay them the same as their white co-stars.

“CBS was extremely generous and proactive in their renegotiation talks," Lenkov wrote. "So much so, the actors were getting unprecedented raises, but in the end they chose to move on.”

CBS' final offer to the actors was reportedly "10-15% lower" than the salaries of co-stars Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin.

You can read Lenkov's full statement below:

SEE ALSO: CBS responds to 'Hawaii Five-0' controversy after 2 of its stars leave over equal-pay dispute

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