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Netflix's content boss listed 5 big upcoming Netflix originals you should be excited for

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brightNetflix is spending billions of dollars a year on original programming, and will churn out dozens of TV series and a whopping 80 movies in 2018.

But with new Netflix originals cropping up every week, which are worth your time to watch? One way to find out is to simply ask Netflix's content boss, Ted Sarandos.

At the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York last week, Sarandos was asked to list a few big Netflix releases that subscribers should get excited for in the next year.

Sarandos listed five originals to keep an eye out for. The first one to come out will be "Bright" starring Will Smith (December 22), which Sarandos described as Netflix's "first big original film" and a studio-level theatrical tentpole.

"Bright" is a cop thriller set in a world that's similar to ours in time period but contains fantasy creatures like orcs and elves.

Here are the five Netflix originals Sarandos said you should be excited for in 2018:

SEE ALSO: All 26 notable Netflix original shows that debuted in 2017, ranked from worst to best

"Bright" — December 22, 2017

In "Bright," a human LAPD officer (Will Smith) and his orc partner (Joel Edgerton) "stumble on a powerful object and become embroiled in a prophesied turf war," according to Netflix's description of the show.

The film is directed by David Ayers ("Suicide Squad"), and its script was written by Max Landis ("Chronicle"). 

The budget for "Bright" has been reported to be $90 million.



"Altered Carbon" — February 2, 2018

"Altered Carbon" is a Netflix original TV adaptation of Richard K. Morgan's acclaimed 2oo2 sci-fi novel, "Carbon." The series is set to premiere its first 10-episode season in February.

As Entertainment Weekly notes, "Carbon" takes place 300 years in the future, where human consciousness is stored on digital implants, and technological advances allow the uber-rich to continually upgrade their bodies in an effort to live forever. 

The drama series was reportedly a passion project for its creator, Laeta Kalogridis, who optioned the novel "Carbon" shortly after its release 15 years ago. The pilot episode of the series was directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who won an Emmy for directing the "Game of Thrones" episode "Battle of the Bastards" in 2016.

Netflix released a cryptic teaser trailer for the show last week.

 



"Lost In Space" (Reboot) — May 2018

In 2016, Netflix ordered a 10-episode, modernized reboot of the cult-classic CBS series, "Lost In Space" — a comedy-drama which followed the exploits of the Robinson family as they dealt with being stranded on an alien planet.

Cindy Holland, Netflix's VP of original content, described the Netflix series with the following statement to Deadline when it was first announced:

"The original series so deftly captured both drama and comedy, and that made it very appealing to a broad audience. The current creative team's reimagining of the series for Netflix is sure to appeal to both fans who fondly remember the original and to create a new generation of enthusiasts around the world."

In January, one of the remake's stars, Toby Stephens, described the Netflix show as "a lot more modern" take on the 1960s series. Stephens added that the remake has attempted to retain the "humor and humanity" of the original.

"Lost in Space" concluded production in June 2017 and is set for a May 2018 release.



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Forget 'Call of Duty' — the best game of 2017 is an insane 100-player battle royale

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In 2000, a bizarre and controversial film called "Battle Royale" was released. In the film, dozens of Japanese high-school students are placed on an island, given weapons, and forced to kill one another until one person remains.

That person is crowned the winner.

Battle Royale

Its plot sounds similar to "The Hunger Games," but "Battle Royale" is a far more brutal film. There is no prevailing heroine, no odds overcome. "Battle Royale" is a bleak, suspenseful, violent movie.

A breakout game with a bizarre name, "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" aims to re-create the tension and brutality of "Battle Royale."

Unbelievably, it succeeds.

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

"PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" ("PUBG") is available on PC and, as of Tuesday, on Xbox One as well. It has only one game mode. It's not even fully complete — the game is available in "early access," which means it isn't finished, but you can buy it early and start playing now.

After just nine months of availability, "PUBG" has sold over 20 million copies. It's the most-watched game on Twitch, the world's largest game-streaming platform. It's even our number one game of the year.

So what gives? Why is this game blowing up? Here's the deal.

SEE ALSO: A ton of great games came out this year — these are the 10 best

Though it looks like a typical shooter, "Battlegrounds" is anything but.

Before we go any further, allow me to explain the ridiculous name:

• The game's creative director — Brendan Greene, also known as "PlayerUnknown" online — is known for creating "Battle Royale"-style games, which are massive online games where players fight to the death with limited weapons.

• Thus, the game is just called "Battlegrounds." The full name technically is "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," but that's kind of like calling "Jurassic Park" "Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park."



Every game starts the same: You're on a plane with about 100 other humans. It's the most depressing plane ride I've ever seen.

The plane is a visual representation of an online lobby, essentially, but it serves another purpose: You choose when to exit the plane, and that choice is important because the next step is parachuting down to a massive, deserted island. 

As you parachute down, you'll see other players doing the same. This is where the game starts — floating down to your almost certain death, eyeballing other players.

Since every player starts with just the clothes on their back, the first 10 minutes of every match is a scramble for weapons, armor, vehicles, and security.



Any given part of the massive map looks like this. There are roads and abandoned buildings, and the vacated island is rife with weaponry.

After you land on the island, your first move is almost certainly to go indoors. You could bumrush other players who land near you in an attempt to punch them to death, but you probably shouldn't.

Instead, you likely will look for supplies — and those are indoors. This concept of looting for resources is a panic-inducing moment right off the bat.

Let's say another player lands near you in a town. Here's how that might play out:

• You both land around the same time, see each other, and head toward separate buildings.

• Maybe your building has a good weapon, or maybe it has a police vest for protection. Maybe it has nothing.

• But what about that other player? You've lost them, and they could have a killer weapon. Do you head out to another nearby building, hoping they aren't in the same one? Do you wait near a window, keeping an eye on the building they're in, waiting for them to leave? Do you take off running toward another nearby town, hoping for better supplies?

This is the central tension of "Battlegrounds," and it starts immediately.



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'The Last Jedi' is an emotionally powerful 'Star Wars' movie because it breaks all the usual sequel rules

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the last jedi disney lucasfilm

  • "The Last Jedi" is a super-sized "Star Wars" movie that will make you laugh and cry.
  • Writer-director Rian Johnson has created a story that is worthy of the saga, but also has the feel of a powerful standalone movie.


If you are wondering why director Rian Johnson has been handed the keys to the “Star Wars” franchise, and been allowed to create a whole new trilogy, look no further than what he’s accomplished in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”

After J.J. Abrams helmed the first “Star Wars” movie beyond "Return of the Jedi" 32 years ago with 2015's “Episode VII: The Force Awakens” — an entry that featured new characters but also included many familiar hallmarks from the original three movies — Johnson has essentially delivered a sequel that forges a new path in the “Star Wars” saga, as it extends the mythology without using the original three as a crutch.

“The Last Jedi” (opening in theaters on Friday) breaks the usual rules sequels live by. Put simply: It doesn't just take the things the audience loves about the previous movies and amplify them.

Unfortunately, going into detail on how“The Last Jedi” breaks these rules would divulge things about the movie that would spoil it for you, but what I will say is that all the fan theories that sprung from “The Force Awakens” mean very little.

Johnson, who also wrote the screenplay, proves there are greater things to explore — more complex and fascinating subplots. And to get to those he gives us a movie with the kind of moments you usually never see in the second film of a trilogy.

Adam Driver's multi-layered performance as Kylo Ren is a highlight of the movie

We left off in “The Force Awakens” with the Resistance destroying the First Order’s Starkiller Base and Rey (Daisy Ridley) going off to track down Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). At the start of “The Last Jedi,” Rey is still on the island Skywalker has purposely used to hide from the universe, and the First Order has tracked down the Resistance and is looking to wipe them out.

This is the foundation of “The Last Jedi,” as both settings are where we stay for most of the movie. But thanks to multiple characters we care about and a surprising amount of lightheartedness, the 2.5-hour running time never gets boring or stagnant.

star wars the last jedi lucasfilm finalWe follow Rey delving deeper into the power of the force, under the reluctant guidance of Skywalker. Poe (Oscar Isaac) and General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) are together for most of the movie, with the legendary Resistance leader trying to make the talented fighter pilot understand the difference between heroism and leadership. Finn (John Boyega) finds a new girl to go on adventures with, Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran). But out of the new crop of characters, the most fascinating is Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

Ren is still trying to prove to Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) that he can be as evil as Darth Vader. But more importantly, Johnson further explores the mysterious connection Ren has with Rey. This is done using a heightened way of the force that has never been fully fleshed out in the saga before.

The complexities, anger, and manipulation that Driver gives Ren are a major highlight of the movie. It’s far from the only thing that’s impressive, but it’s just refreshing to see a fleshed out villain in this era of blockbusters and superhero movies where the bad guy character feels hastily put together.

Mark Hamill gives Luke Skywalker an aging samurai feel

Hamill’s return as Skywalker does not disappoint, either. The master Jedi has tried to block himself entirely from the legendary life he once lived, and the tipping point was Skywalker's failure to train Ren (aka Ben Solo). This is explained to Rey by both Skywalker and Ren, with Johnson cleverly using a “Rashomon”-like storytelling style to do it.

the last jedi lucasfilmAnd this isn’t the only time in the movie when Johnson uses the feel of classic Asian cinema to influence his storytelling. The sections that involve Skywalker’s story have the feel of old samurai movies, with Luke as the elderly teacher who has nothing left in his life but the past, and the knowledge of his craft, neither of which he wants anymore. Johnson also shows this visually with a striking shot of Skywalker’s X-Wing resting at the bottom of the shallow water by the cliffs where he lives.

That's another thing "The Last Jedi" has a lot of: beautiful wide lens shots.

Another great part of “The Last Jedi” is that Johnson pulls off the difficult task of giving solid screen time to the ensemble, and including the new characters. Rose Tico is a spark plug of energy. Benicio Del Toro was born to be in a “Star Wars” movie, and he pulls off another unique speaking style for his role as the code breaker, DJ. And Laura Dern as Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo has one of the biggest WOW! moments in the movie.

Yes, and the Porgs are fantastic!

Then there’s Leia. “The Last Jedi” marks the final performance in the iconic career of Carrie Fisher. She gets a good amount of screen time, including one scene that will certainly spark some major internet chatter.

If there’s one knock I have on the film it’s that, once again, Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) is given very little screen time. Guess we can only hope that will be rectified in “Episode IX.”

It certainly looks like Disney/Lucasfilm has found the filmmaker who it can use to extend the saga beyond just rehashing the greatness of the original three movies.

That’s perhaps the best part of “The Last Jedi.” Johnson has made something that isn’t just a worthy addition to one of the most fan obsessed franchises ever, but is also a powerful standalone story.

A rare feat for any sequel.

SEE ALSO: After burning out writing blockbuster rom-coms, this screenwriter reinvented himself by tracking down infamous figure skater Tonya Harding

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These are the 10 most luxurious movie theaters in the world

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electric cinema in london england

Many movie theaters are looking for new ways to enhance the theater experience after a mediocre year at the domestic box office. But a focus on attention to detail and the overall experience beyond just the theater screen is something that the world's most luxurious theaters have strived for from the beginning.

With newly placed technology that extends beyond the theater screen and into the seating itself, movie theaters offer a range of innovations on the age-old theater-going experience.

Beyond upgrades to the projectors themselves, the most dominant trend in the evolution of modern movie theaters is the ability to order food and drinks from the comfort of your seat. But some theaters have innovated upon that concept even further — Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas installs buttons on every seat allowing you to silently call over staff when you're ready to order, for example.

There's even a theater in London that gives every moviegoer a tray filled with various mystery boxes, each designed to be opened and enjoyed at specific points in the movie, containing one-bite treats and mini cocktails that connect to various elements or scenes. Others, like the Alamo Draft House, offer the luxury of not having to worry about disruptive guests, with a zero tolerance policy on talking that's actively enforced by kicking out obnoxious guests. In India, one theater pumps a floral scent through the air conditioning.

With theaters competing for the best luxury amenities, moviegoers have more options than ever to choose from.

Here are the 1o most luxurious theaters in the world:

SEE ALSO: 19 movies you need to see this holiday season

Edible Cinema in London, England

Every guest at an Edible Cinema screening is given a tray filled with numbered "mystery boxes," each containing either a bite-sized morsel, or a mini cocktail that connect to specific moments in whatever film is being screened.



Rajmandir Cinema in Jaipur, India

The Rajmandir is one of the most beautiful theaters in the world. The lobby of the Rajmandir is adorned with chandeliers, custom-made wooden tiles, and glass inlay.

And to further enhance every guest's experience at the Rajmandir, the air is scented with a floral aroma that is pumped through the air conditioning. 

 



Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn, NY

At Nitehawk Cinema, guests can order unique and delicious cocktails, dinner, and snacks (including the signature truffle oil popcorn) while they catch the latest indie flick of their choice.

 



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Larry King 'unequivocally' denies groping allegation

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Larry King

  • Larry King denied a groping allegation made against him by Terry Richard, the ex-wife of singer Eddie Fisher, to The Daily Mail.
  • Richard told the outlet that King groped her on two occasions, in 2005 and 2006. 
  • King denied the allegations as "unequivocally false and defamatory" in a statement sent from his lawyers to the Mail. 

 

Larry King has denied a groping allegation made against him by Terry Richard, the ex-wife of singer Eddie Fisher.

On Monday, Richard, who was married to the late singer Eddie Fisher from 1975 to 1976, told The Daily Mail that the former CNN host groped her once in 2005 and again in 2006, with both alleged incidents occurring at a photo shoot for a baseball awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

The Daily Mail reported that Richard "said in the first incident, while posing together for a photo, King slid his hand down her backless dress and rested his fingers in between her butt cheeks." Regarding the second incident, the outlet reported, "Richard claims the second time was also while they were taking a photo together, and King, now 84, squeezed her butt so hard that it left a large bruise."

Richard told the outlet, "Larry King is a groper. He groped me twice. He gets a thrill doing this in front of the camera, knowing I couldn't do anything."

Days before the outlet published Richard's account, an attorney for King sent a denial statement to The Daily Mail,  in which King's lawyers called Richard's allegations "unequivocally false and defamatory."

The statement, which has since been obtained in full by People, reads as follows:

"We represent Larry King. I am informed that you intend to publish a statement by a woman named Terry Richards that, 10 or more years ago, Mr. King supposedly 'groped' her at one or more baseball dinners. That assertion is entirely and unequivocally false and defamatory. Mr. King did no such thing then or ever. Your publishing this false and defamatory statement will be actionable and highly damaging."

King's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. 

SEE ALSO: 36 powerful men accused of sexual misconduct after Harvey Weinstein

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NOW WATCH: It's been 25 years since the band Hanson was formed — here's what they're up to now

Prince William and Kate Middleton broke from royal tradition with a rare public display of affection — and it might have been inspired by Meghan Markle

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Kate Prince William

  • Kate Middleton and Prince William had a rare public display of affection recently.
  • The couple is known for maintaining a stoic public image.
  • However, Meghan Markle's and Price Harry's more informal attitude may be leading to changes in how the royal couples publicly conduct themselves. 

 

Prince William and Kate Middleton broke from tradition with a rare public display of affection. 

While being awarded gold Blue Peter badges for campaigning on children's mental health issues, Kate put on what the Daily Mail called a "rare tactile display." It was just a simple knee touch, but it was enough to raise eyebrows for fans of Will and Kate. 

People reported in 2016 that the royal couple "often keeps a stoic, very British decorum."

Part of that is due to the fact that often, when the couple is being photographed, they're at public events or representing the British Monarchy in an official capacity. Typically, the couple's semi-standoffish behavior extends to interviews. 

Meghan Markle Prince Harry

But, that could be changing. One of the most talked-about moments from the announcement of Prince Harry's engagement to the American actress Meghan Markle was when the couple was shown cuddling with intertwined hands, joking around before their microphones were turned on. 

People embraced the informal attitude and celebrated the goofy romance between the newly engaged couple. 

For Kate Middleton, who has long been extremely polished in her fashion and public presentation, Meghan Markle's more laid-back approach could allow for a change. Markle's engagement provides Middleton with a chance to be more informal in public — and it could encourage her to reevaluate her own self-presentation as her future sister-in-law begins to dominate headlines. 

SEE ALSO: Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's fashion choices reveal how different the two women are

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NOW WATCH: The dark story behind the term 'Black Friday'

Everything we know about 'porgs' — the penguin-like creatures from 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

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The new trailer for "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is out, and there's already a breakout star of the film, at least according to the internet. A new creature called a porg is featured for a brief few seconds, and its become somewhat of a meme on Twitter. Disney is pushing lots of porg merchandise, and it's capturing people's attention thanks to its penguin-like shape and its big eyes. Here's everything we know about porgs so far. Following is the text of the video.

Everything about "porgs" from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Porgs are a new creature in the Star Wars universe.

They will make their debut in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."

They're small, penguin-like creatures.

They build nests and they can fly.

They are native to the planet of Ahch-To, where Luke Skywalker was living in "The Force Awakens."

The real-life inspiration for porgs?

Puffins that live off the coast of Ireland, where the Ahch-To scenes were shot.

Porg babies are called "porglets."

A group of porgs is called a "murder."

They are very curious creatures.

In the film, they're portrayed with both puppets and CGI.

Disney is already offering lots of porg merchandise.

A porg children's book is in the works.

The internet has already turned them into a popular meme.

We'll find out more when The Last Jedi comes out Dec 15, 2017.

This video was originally published on October 11, 2017

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The 21 best TV shows of 2017

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Big Little Lies

There was a lot of TV this year, and thankfully, a lot of it was great. 

In fact, there was so much great TV in 2017 that putting together a list of the best shows was tough — and a bit stressful. So many new shows were worth including, like "American Vandal" and "Big Little Lies," and so many returning shows broke ground like "The Good Place" and "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend."

One of the best things about TV in 2017 was the number of shows with female-driven stories (that women liked), from Hulu's Emmy-winning "The Handmaid's Tale" to Freeform's "The Bold Type."

And there were many shows that didn't make the list that are still worth noting. For example, Comedy Central's "Nathan For You" went places you'd never be able to imagine in its fourth season. Netflix, which dominated this list both in new shows and returning shows, also delivered some notable shows that didn't make the cut, like "Alias Grace" and "Big Mouth."

Here are the best TV shows of 2017, categorized into new shows and returning shows:

SEE ALSO: The worst new TV shows of 2017, ranked from bad to completely unwatchable

New shows: "American Vandal" — Netflix

"American Vandal" is a poignant and funny reflection on true-crime entertainment (specifically "Making a Murderer" and the podcast "Serial"), social media, and teen culture. The show is a fictional documentary about a high school student who is trying to uncover whether or not his classmate Dylan spray-painted a bunch of penises on a teachers' cars.



"Glow" — Netflix

"Glow," based on the 1980s show "Gorgeous Female Ladies of Wrestling," is a fictionalized story of the casting and making that show. "Glow" debuted on Netflix in June, and has been the biggest surprise of 2017. It's hilarious, heartfelt (but not in a cheesy way), and filled with complicated women from many backgrounds. It's like a ten-episode, female-centric sports movie that's also about friendship and forgiveness. Wresting is just a bonus. Alison Brie (who was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance), Betty Gilpin, and Marc Maron work so well because they fit perfectly into the world of 80s Los Angeles. 

 



"Big Little Lies" — HBO

"Big Little Lies" didn't have a great start. The show was basically marketed as "True Detective," but with women, which didn't seem particularly appealing. And the first few episodes leave a bit to be desired. But the story quickly turns into a compelling look at strong friendships between women, as well as domestic abuse and its psychological effects. Other shows and films have covered domestic abuse, but never in the way "Big Little Lies" did, and the way Nicole Kidman's Emmy-winning performance did.



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Apple's Shazam deal is a sneak attack to hit Spotify where it hurts (AAPL, GOOG)

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tim cook

  • Apple bought Shazam for $400 million, which makes it one of the company's largest acquisitions in years.
  • Shazam makes the most sense inside Apple's music division, which falls under SVP Eddy Cue. 
  • Apple is unlikely to be interested in Shazam's advertising business. 


Apple has yet to reveal its plans for Shazam, the popular music recognition app it acquired for $400 million on Monday. 

And given the iPhone maker's penchant for secrecy, chances are good that it will be some time before we learn anything about Shazam's future under Apple — if we ever do at all.

But if you connect the dots, a couple things about this deal are already clear: 

1. Shazam is almost certain to continue to exist as a standalone app

2. This deal is all about Apple Music and data.

If the addition of Shazam works the way Apple hopes, the deal will round-out the arsenal that supports its fledgling music streaming service. And with the competition and the stakes in the streaming business growing, the deal is an admission by Apple that it needs to make bold new bets to assure its place in a post-music-download world.

Just as the $3 billion Beats acquisition in 2014 provided the foundation for Apple Music, the purchase of Shazam could help Apple take its streaming product to the next level. 

It's another high-profile music deal for Apple

Since launching a music-recognition app in 2009, Shazam's product has evolved considerably. Shazam now offers advertising features and augmented reality capabilities with ecommerce potential. 

But as vague as Apple was in its statement confirming the deal, it made a point of explicitly mentioning Apple Music, noting that Shazam and Apple Music were a "natural fit."

That "fit," isn't the simple addition of music recognition capabilities (though that will be a nice new feature Apple will be able to bring to its iPhones). It's the music data that Apple gets from owning an app with hundreds of millions of users across different platforms and countries.

Early warning system 

One of the most underrated aspects of Shazam's business, according to an investor, is that Shazam offers an analytic control center — a "dashboard" — for music industry professionals. Record labels and executives have learned to rely on it to discover songs that are starting to get popular.

When someone identifies what a song is through Shazam, that's a pretty strong signal that it's catchy, or distinctive. "Our data has shown that we can typically predict 33 days in advance what's going to be at the top of the Billboard Hot 100," a Shazam executive said in 2014

dashboard1

Although Apple has access to a lot of similar data from its Apple Music service, Shazam is globally available, and, as Apple pointed out in its statement, is widely downloaded on non-Apple platforms. That gives Apple Music unique insight into the songs, artists and other trends that are about quietly gaining momentum and about to break out.

Think of it as an early warning system for hit songs. Apple already has strong human music curation assets, thanks to  the DJs at its Beats One online radio station and the handpicked playlists on Apple Music. By mixing in Shazam's data, Apple will have a chance to dominate the cultural conversation in a way that competitors like Spotify and Google may struggle to match.

Another valuable data point that Apple will be able to see now is which Shazam-ed songs lead to an Apple Music subscription — or even possibly Spotify subscriptions. 

The app isn't going away

Shazam ScreenshotOf course, the value of all that data comes from the fact that Shazam is a hugely popular app that's been downloaded more than 1 billion times, and is used by both Android and Apple users.

For that reason, it's highly unlikely that Apple will discontinue the standalone Shazam app. 

Sure, there's plenty of ways Apple can integrate Shazaam directly into the iPhone itself. 

Google recently incorporated similar music-recogntion technology into its high-end Pixel 2 smartphone.

Google's version of the technology constantly monitors nearby music from the phone's lock screen, displaying each song title on the phone's screen — a handy feature that Apple would be silly not to emulate. 

But Apple would also be silly to kill the standalone Shazam app for Android phones. 

Apple didn't comment on whether the Shazam app will remain as a standalone download, but the Shazam announcement of the deal suggests that the app isn't going way, noting that it will "continue innovating ... for our users." 

A TV show, too

Apple is also getting a piece of a reality show as part of its purchase: "Beat Shazam," which stars Jamie Foxx and received as many as 2.4 million viewers for its most recent episode aired in late summer during the critical 8 p.m. prime time slot at Fox. Season 2 of "Beat Shazam" began production this month in Los Angeles, and Foxx is hosting again. It's expected to air next year. 

The concept is simple: Contestants try to beat Shazam's algorithm before it can name a tune. And it fits very neatly into Apple Music's strategy of making video content about music.

jamie foxx mariah carey beat shazamApple Music recently has started to produce music-related TV shows to help boost subscribers to Apple Music. But the two shows it has aired so far — "Carpool Kareoke," an adaptation of the James Corden-hosted late night segment, and "Planet of the Apps," a reality show about apps — have received decidedly mixed reviews. 

Of course, "Beat Shazam" is a Mark Burnett-produced show, and it's not wholly owned by Shazam, so it's not like Apple bought the rights to stream it on its platform without some negotiations. But it would be surprising if Apple didn't do a little bit of cross-promotion with its new TV property. 

Forget about advertising 

Shazam AROne part of Shazam that Apple's unlikely to be interested in is what brought the company to profitability in recent years: advertising. 

Shazam CEO Rich Riley told Business Insider earlier this year that the company had pivoted away from selling songs and toward advertising as its main source of sales, which helped the company achieve profitability. 

He also said that the company made sense an acquisition target for a big company looking for a foothold in music or advertising.

But Apple's not looking for a foothold in advertising. 

Unlike its Silicon Valley neighbors like Google and Facebook, it sells almost no ads, except for a few App Store search placements. Apple CEO Tim Cook frequently suggests that Apple's lack of advertising business separates it from other tech giants. 

So it's hard to imagine that Apple would continue to strike deals with companies like Sauza Tequila or Pepsi to offer deals or unskippable takeover ads inside the Shazam app. Shazam booked $50 million in revenue last year, according to an investor, which is basically a rounding error to Apple. 

It's also unlikely that Apple is interesting in Shazam's augmented reality products, despite Cupertino's demonstrated interest in the field. Shazam's AR product was largely based on technology from a company called Zappar, and was based around "Shazam Codes," or a QR-code like marker. 

Apple's AR division already has hundreds of employees and its own home-grown technology, such as ARkit and the ability to natively scan QR codes. It's hard to see Shazam's technology playing a big part in Apple's AR push. 

SEE ALSO: Apple has finally announced the launch of its most powerful computer yet, the $5000 iMac Pro

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Meghan Markle is spending Christmas Day with Prince Harry and the Queen at Sandringham

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Prince Harry Meghan Markle engagement photos

  • Meghan Markle will spend Christmas Day with fiancee Prince Harry and the rest of the royal family, according to Sky News.
  • Kensington Palace reportedly confirmed that the unmarried couple would break tradition by spending the holiday together at Sandringham.


Kensington Palace has confirmed that Meghan Markle will spend Christmas Day with fiancé Prince Harry, the Queen, and the rest of the royal family at Sandringham in Norfolk.

The move is a break in tradition, as unmarried partners have previously not been invited to spend Christmas with the royals. Even Kate Middleton wasn't invited to join the family for Christmas in 2010, despite getting engaged to Prince William a month before.

A Kensington Palace spokesman told Sky News: "You can expect to see The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, and Ms Markle at Sandringham on Christmas Day."

The Telegraph reported that the couple will "be seen in public with other royals when they attend the traditional Christmas Day church service on the Queen's private estate."

Prince Harry announced his engagement to the "Suits" actress last month. The couple are reportedly planning their own "fun" wedding at Windsor Castle, where they are set to wed in May 2018.

Meghan Markle Prince Harry

Their plans to spend Christmas together aren't the only way their engagement has marked a move into a more modern future for the royal family.

There are a number of factors related to Markle's background— aside from the fact she's a well-known celebrity — that make the royal engagement different to most that have come before.

Not only is Markle American, but she comes from a humble upbringing, is a divorcee, and is expected to be the first mixed-race person to marry into the family for generations.

SEE ALSO: These are all of the ways Meghan Markle smashes traditional royal stereotypes

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These photos of The Mountain from 'Game of Thrones' and his tiny girlfriend have baffled Instagram users

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  • Photos of The Mountain from "Game of Thrones" and his Canadian girlfriend have fascinated Instagram users.
  • He is 6 foot 9 inches, while she is reportedly just 5 foot 2 inches.
  • The pair met reportedly met in September. 


Photos of Icelandic actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, better known as The Mountain from "Game of Thrones," and his Canadian girlfriend Kelsey Henson have gone viral because of their extreme height difference.

The actor is 6 foot 9 inches and weighs 395 pounds, while Kelsey Henson is just 5 foot 2 inches, TMZ reports.

The pair recently visited Iceland together, where the actor "introduced" her to the country.

The extreme height difference prompted one Instagram user @destinyezurs to ask: "How do you kiss? Do you jump in his arms every time and wrap your legs around his waist? Please post a picture of this impressive action [sic]"

To which Henson appears to have seen the funny side."Hahha he bends, I tip toe. Or just say screw it pick me up," she responded.

Henson, who is an occupational therapist also posted this "throwback" photo of the pair in Benidorm, Spain.

Instagram user @nikchantal_commented: "His hand is bigger then your head."

The pair reportedly met in September in Alberta, where Henson was working at Earls Kitchen + Bar and he was in town for a Strongman competition, according to TMZ.

She shared a photo of their meeting and wrote: "Met Hafþór [sic], AKA The Mountain, from Game of Thrones!!"

Most recently she posted a snap of herself while exercising with a top that said: "Training to Fight the Mountain."

SEE ALSO: Here's the insane diet The Mountain actor from 'Game of Thrones' is on for World's Strongest Man

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NOW WATCH: It's been 25 years since the band Hanson was formed — here's what they're up to now

A show about rescued dogs and neglected ponies has 130 million views on Facebook, and it could be coming to a TV near you (FB)

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  • The Dodo's animal-focused show "Comeback Kids: Animal Edition" is the most popular show on Facebook Watch based on overall views, views per episode and shares per episode.
  • Facebook declined to confirm whether the show was coming back for another season, but The Dodo's founder Izzie Lerer is optimistic.
  • The publisher wants to experiment with long-form content including TV, as well as other mediums like 360-degree video and virtual reality in the future.


Puppy and kitten videos rule the internet. So it shouldn't be a surprise that a show centered around animals took the top honors among Facebook Watch's first round of media publisher shows.

Animal social video publisher The Dodo's show "Comeback Kids: Animal Edition," beat all competition to become the No. 1 most watched publisher show on Facebook Watch. 

The show, which spotlights heartwarming stories of animals overcoming all kinds of hardships, is ahead of the curve among shows by other media publishers in terms of overall views, views per episode and shares per episode, according to social monitoring platform CrowdTangle. There are shows by individual creators like Nas Daily, however, that are ahead of it.

"Because we had built The Dodo brand with short form video content, we had data on what was resonating the most with our audience," Izzie Lerer, founder and chief creative officer at The Dodo, told Business Insider. "That data, combined with an understanding of our audience, informed what kind of a show we should have."

The show has amassed over 130 million views across five episodes in its first season. That is significantly higher views and average views per episode than any other publisher, according to data from Delmondo. The closest second is Mike Rowe's show "Returning the Favor," with around 90 million total views.

According to Lerer, the Facebook Watch opportunity came knocking at the perfect time. It was when The Dodo — which has a website but is primarily a social video publisher — had already cracked the 30 to 90-second video format with some viral hits, and wanted to experiment with more mid-form and original content. 

The Group Nine Media-owned publisher decided to take the plunge and tell animal stories with more robust narratives, as well as make a conscious effort to branch out outside of just dogs and cats. The theme would focus heavily on transformation through rescue and rehabilitation and not just cuteness.

The first video of the series, for example, chronicles the journey of a rescued Golden Retriever called Chi Chi, tracing her journey from being unable to walk to becoming a therapy dog. The third tells the story of Poly, a neglected pony in a farm animal sanctuary in Belgium that is nursed back to health. Both videos were runaway hits, with Poly's video being the most popular video in the season with over 83 million views and 838,000 shares.

"The first episode was very strong right out of the gate," The Dodo president YuJung Kim said. "And that proved that we'd realized our aim of building a loyal audience around passion points, regardless of the platform and format."

Comeback Kids continued to draw viewership across the entire season, with over 150 million minutes of consumption. The show's audience also grew consistently after each episode was aired. After the first episode, for example, the show's audience swelled by 60,000 fans, followed by 25,000; 215,000; 25,000 and 30,000 fans after the subsequent four episodes. This is line with what other publishers such as Attn and Condé Nast have seen, with their Watch videos having greater retention compared to regular programming.

The show also saw high levels of engagement. Poly's video, for example, was shared 838,000 times as opposed to a regular video posted by The Dodo, which gets an average of 70,000 shares, according to Kim. What's more, 15% of the viewers made it to the end of each episode, when the average is 7 seconds for non-Watch videos. 

This is hardly surprising, said Brendan Gahan, founder and EVP of social agency Epic Signal.

"Animals have always done well online, but these videos, which feature heart-wrenching 'comeback' stories of cute animals, tug at the heartstrings," he said. "They not only make you smile and move on, but they can also make you laugh, cry and generate a real, physical reaction."

Facebook doesn't break down stats data or viewership numbers around individual shows and declined to confirm whether the show was due to return on Watch for a second season. But it is reportedly planning to spend as much as $1 billion on funding video in 2018, with shows driving repeat viewers being one of its biggest criterias. 

Lerer said that "given season one’s success, we’re exploring future seasons of Comeback Kids."

The publisher wants to experiment with long-form content including TV, as well as other mediums like 360-degree video and virtual reality in the future.

"We're pushing deeper into longer-form content," Lerer said. "This has helped us create a model whereby we can take our learnings and apply it beyond."

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The top-trending TV show on Google this year was a Netflix series about teen suicide

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Google has released its "year in search" for 2017, and the top-trending TV show in the US was a controversial teen drama from Netflix.

This year, the top TV shows included ABC's "Bachelor in Paradise," which had a scandalous shut down over the summer; The CW's teen drama and mystery series "Riverdale;" and ABC's new ratings hit "The Good Doctor."

Topping the list was Netflix's "13 Reasons Why," a drama about a teenager who kills herself and leaves notes for those she's left behind, and those who have wronged her. The series sparked controversy for allegedly glorifying suicide, especially given its vulnerable teenage audience. But Netflix maintained that it helped promote an honest dialogue between parents and children.

According to Google, here are the TV shows that had the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2017 as compared to 2016:

SEE ALSO: The 21 best TV shows of 2017

10. "American Gods"

With a huge budget and big names including Ian McShane, Crispin Glover, Kristin Chenoweth, Pablo Schreiber, and Gillian Anderson, "American Gods" had a lot of hype, especially since it's based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name. It was well-received, but unfortunately showrunners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green won't be returning for season two. 



9. "Big Little Lies"

"Big Little Lies" featured strong, supportive female friendships, a non-linear storytelling structure, and a storyline about a victim of domestic abuse, played by Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman, in what is probably her best performance ever. The originally one-season limited series was so popular that HBO picked it up for season two, with Kidman and Reese Witherspoon returning.



8. "Santa Clarita Diet"

Netflix's "Santa Clarita Diet" is about a woman named Sheila, played Drew Barrymore, who becomes a zombie. The show had an interesting marketing campaign that matched the fun but grossly violent comedy. Sheila's teenage daughter and husband adjust to life with a zombie, and go to great lengths to cover it up.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 13 best new TV characters of the year — from Offred to Celeste Wright

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  • This year saw an amazing number of interesting new female characters on TV.
  • We listed the 13 best new TV characters of 2017.


Women dominated television in 2017.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" to "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," female-driven shows delivered some of the best new characters and television performances of the year — and they have the Golden Globe nominations to prove it.

This year also saw some stellar new male characters as well, like Reggie Green (Marque Richardson) on "Dear White People," and Courtney Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall) on "The Mayor."

But the richly developed female characters seen on television this year, like Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie) on "Glow," and Offred (Elisabeth Moss) on "The Handmaid's Tale," have shown that this year's best new characters on television were predominantly women.

Here are the 13 best new TV characters of the year, ranked:

SEE ALSO: Here are all the nominees for the 2018 Golden Globes

13. Josh Futturman, "Future Man"

Janitor Josh Futturman (Josh Hutcherson) finds little solace in life other than his favorite video game, "Biotic Wars."

When Josh beats the game — known for being unbeatable — two rebel soldiers (Wolf and Tiger) from the future try to recruit him as a soldier to help them fight in the actual Biotic Wars.

Josh is an unlikely hero, who consistently fumbles and messes up the missions he sets out on with Wolf and Tiger. Despite his ineptitude as a soldier in the Biotic Wars, Josh remains the heart of the show, and one of the biggest reasons why this amusing new Hulu series is worth watching.

 



12. Pete, "Crashing"

In comedian Pete Holmes' new HBO series, "Crashing," he plays a thinly veiled version of himself (also named Pete), trying to make his way as a fledgling comic.

After his marriage ruptures due to his fascination with comedy, Pete ends up couch surfing, and crashing with different comics, as he tries to gain some traction in the comedy world.

Holmes is as endearingly sweet, goofy, and earnest in his series as he is in his stand-up sets, and his portrayal of, well ... himself, provides interesting insights into comedy, heartache, and ambition.



11. Courtney Rose, "The Mayor"

When Courtney Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall) runs for mayor of his hometown of Fort Grey, California as a publicity stunt to boost his hip-hop career, he accidentally ends up getting himself elected.

Though Courtney only hoped to draw attention to his musical endeavors, he decides to follow through with his original (albeit phony) mayoral promises and tries to reform Fort Grey in this light-hearted series. 

 



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The 10 top-trending actors on Google in 2017 were largely notable for reasons other than acting

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  • Google's list of the top-trending actors of the year contains several names that weren't particularly notable for their acting output.
  • Meghan Markle topped the list after her engagement to Prince Harry became a prominent search item.
  • The status of Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K. as trending topics largely stems from the bombshell sexual misconduct allegations made against them in recent months.
  • Find Google's 10 top-trending actors below.

 

Google has shared a list of the top-trending actors in 2017, and it contains several names that were most notable this year for reasons other than acting — including a royal engagement, a revival of a cult film, and multiple instances of alleged sexual misconduct.

Google's annual lists of trending topics track the search items that "had the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2017 as compared to 2016," the company told Business Insider.

The search engine's resulting list of the most-searched actors finds a few expected, high-profile names, like Meryl Streep, alongside relative newcomers, like "Stranger Things" star Millie Bobby Brown.

Of the top ten names, however, five actors were not particularly prominent for their acting output in 2017.

Though she starred on the USA series "Suits," Meghan Markle topped the list after her engagement to British royal Prince Harry became an internet sensation. 

The former "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey and comedian Louis C.K. were the second and fourth most-searched actors, respectively. An outsized interest in Spacey and C.K. surely stemmed from the bombshell sexual misconduct allegations made against them in recent months, as well as their subsequent career fallouts. 

Actress Maia Campbell, who is known for her role on the '90s sitcom "In the House," and hasn't had an acting credit since 2007, showed up at number nine on the list. Her trending is seemingly due to a viral video that appeared to show her asking a man for drugs at an Atlanta gas station in July, as well as her refusing help from LL Cool J, her former "In the House" costar, in response to the video.

Sneaking in at the tenth spot, Tommy Wiseau's fame grew after James Franco released "The Disaster Artist," a film that depicted the making of Wiseau's cult 2003 classic, "The Room."

Here is Google's list of the top-trending actors in 2017:  

  1. Meghan Markle
  2. Kevin Spacey
  3. Gal Gadot ("Wonder Woman")
  4. Louis C.K.
  5. Meryl Streep
  6. Bill Skarsgård ("It")
  7. Millie Bobby Brown
  8. Tom Holland ("Spider-Man: Homecoming")
  9. Maia Campbell
  10. Tommy Wiseau

SEE ALSO: Netflix's content boss listed 5 big upcoming Netflix originals you should be excited for

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All the 'Star Wars' movies, ranked from worst to best

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It's now become a yearly discussion: Where does the latest "Star Wars" movie rank all time?

With Disney releasing a "Star Wars" movie every year for the foreseeable future, the ranking of all the movies in the franchise has become one of those things you pencil (well, magic marker) in leading up to the newest one hitting theaters.

With "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" opening on Friday, it's time to do it again.

Here's how I rank all the "Star Wars" movies after seeing "The Last Jedi."

SEE ALSO: "The Last Jedi" is an emotionally powerful "Star Wars" movie because it breaks all the usual sequel rules

9. "Attack of the Clones" (2002)

It's a movie I struggle with ranking every year. I watched it again recently and I'm back on the disapprove side. There's a lot to enjoy about the second episode in the prequels — mainly, how Ewan McGregor has fit into the Obi-Wan Kenobi role nicely. The movie focuses heavily on his storyline as he encounters Jango and Boba Fett as well as Count Dooku. From a nostalgic standpoint, the last third of the movie brings to life dreams you've had for decades, as Lucas gives us the start of the Clone Wars as well as Yoda having a lightsaber battle. But the agony of watching the Anakin Skywalker/Padmé Amidala storyline was just too much for me in this latest viewing. (I'm sure I'll change the placement of this title again next year.)



8. "The Phantom Menace" (1999)

George Lucas has said from the beginning that "Star Wars" was made for kids, and he really took that to heart when he unveiled "Episode I: The Phantom Menace," 16 years after finishing the groundbreaking original trilogy. Introducing us to Anakin at the age of 9 as he's plucked by Qui-Gon Jinn as the "chosen one" who will bring balance to the Force, the first prequel gives us a lot of tame action and unlikely scenarios for Anakin to be in, even in a galaxy far, far away.

The best part of the movie is its villain, Darth Maul, who has an incredible duel with the Jedi at the end of the movie. It's one of the only goose-bump moments in the whole movie — heightened by John Williams' score — and, sadly, you have to wait over an hour to get to it.

Yes, this is the movie that introduced us to Jar Jar Binks. That is all I'll say about that.



7. "Revenge of the Sith" (2005)

The conclusion of the prequel trilogy is one of the saga's darkest. A grown Anakin is seduced by the dark side of the Force and wipes out the Jedi, including the younglings (!). Padmé dies, but not before giving birth to their twins, Luke and Leia.

The most agonizing part of this movie to sit through is Hayden Christensen's performance as Skywalker conflicted with the dark side — more a sniveling 20-something than a disillusioned "chosen one." We don't get a good performance of that pull to the dark side until Adam Driver comes along to play Kylo Ren in "The Force Awakens." We can only partly blame Christensen: Lucas was never big on giving actors instructions, which proved here to be costly.

On the bright side: Another excellent performance by McGregor as Kenobi, and the duel at the end of the move between Skywalker and Kenobi is worth the wait.



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Disney gains and Fox slips as details of the expected asset sale emerge (DIS, FOXA)

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  • 21st Century Fox is reportedly in the final stages of selling its entertainment and TV business to Disney.
  • Fox shareholders are expected to hold 25% of Disney's shares after the deal, according to CNBC's David Faber.
  • Fox is down 1.61% to $33.55 after the news.
  • Disney is trading 0.92% higher.
  • A deal is expected to be announced later this week, though it likely won't include announcements about how management of the new companies will be settled, CNBC reports.

Read more about the potential impacts of the deal here.

SEE ALSO: Disney is about to go to war with Netflix and Fox could be a big weapon

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Clint Eastwood's next movie stars the 3 real-life Americans who stopped a terrorist plot on a French train — here's the inspiring trailer

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  • Clint Eastwood's latest movie looks at the three Americans who stopped a terrorist attack on a French train in 2015.
  • Eastwood cast the real-life friends to play themselves in the movie.


In August 2015 on a high-speed train in France, three American friends, two of them off-duty members of the US Armed Forces, thwarted a terrorist act after a man with an assault rifle opened fire in the train. Four people were injured and there were no fatalities.

The three Americans instantly became heroes and wrote a book about their ordeal, which has now become a movie directed by Clint Eastwood.

This all sounds like standard protocol for an incredible act of bravery like this, but it gets more interesting: Eastwood cast the three real-life friends who stopped the attack to be the leads in the movie.

"The 15:17 to Paris," which is also the title of the book about the attack, is Eastwood's latest based-on-a-true story movie ("American Sniper," "Sully"), and in telling this one he has Airman First Class Spencer Stone, Specialist Alek Skarlatos, and Anthony Sadler reenacting their heroics on the screen (Stone sustained injuries while taking down the gunman).

The trailer was released on Wednesday and looks beyond the acts on that August day, and also back on how the friends got to that moment in their lives through flashbacks of their childhood and Stone and Skarlatos' military service.

Watch the trailer below. It's quite inspiring. Warner Bros. will release the movie on February 9.

SEE ALSO: All the "Star Wars" movies, ranked from worst to best

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NASA says astronauts will be screening 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' in space

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  • NASA confirmed to Inverse that astronauts on the International Space Station will be able to screen "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" in the near future. 
  •  The anticipated "Star Wars" sequel premieres in theaters on Thursday night. 
  • "The Last Jedi" has received critical acclaim in advance of its release. 

 

While earthbound audiences will have to line up Thursday night to see "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" in theaters, NASA astronauts will soon be able to screen the anticipated film on the International Space Station (ISS). 

Spaceflight reporter Robin Seemangal first tweeted the news on Tuesday, and Inverse later confirmed with NASA that the film will screen for the ISS astronauts at some point in the near future.

international space station, iss"I received confirmation from Disney and NASA sources that the crew aboard the International Space Station will be screening 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi,'" Seemangal tweeted.

"[I] can confirm the crew will be able to watch it on orbit," NASA Public Affairs Officer Dan Huot told Inverse. "Don't have a definitive timeline yet. They typically get movies as digital files and can play them back on a laptop or a standard projector that is currently aboard."

Inverse speculates that the digital file of "The Last Jedi" could arrive on a SpaceX Dragon capsule that the Orlando Sentinel reported is bound for the ISS on Friday. 

"The Last Jedi" currently sits at a 93% "fresh" rating on the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and it opens nationwide on Thursday night. 

Watch the trailer for the film below:

SEE ALSO: 'The Last Jedi' is an emotionally powerful 'Star Wars' movie because it breaks all the usual sequel rules

Join the conversation about this story »

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From Meghan Markle to Harvey Weinstein: Here are Google's top-searched people of 2017

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Google on Wednesday unveiled the most-searched people of the year. 

Google narrowed down the top-trending people searches in the US over the past 12 months — names that had the highest spike in traffic this year compared to 2016.

The list includes actors like Gal Gadot, star of this year's smash hit "Wonder Woman," and Meghan Markle, an actress who recently announced her engagement to Prince Harry.

But it also includes men like Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, and Bill O'Reilly, celebrities who all experienced a career-ending fall from grace after allegations surfaced of sexual misconduct. 

Here are Google's top people searches of 2017:

SEE ALSO: The 20 most popular iPhone apps of 2017

10. Gal Gadot

Israeli actress Gal Gadot starred in "Wonder Woman" in 2017, which took in more than $820 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing superhero origin movie of all time. 



9. Milo Yiannopoulos

Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative provocateur known for controversial political commentary, had a contentious year.

In February, protests erupted at UC Berkeley ahead of a speech Yiannopoulos was scheduled to deliver, causing the university to cancel the appearance. Soon after, an anonymous Twitter account posted video of Yiannopoulos appearing to condone sexual relationships between "younger boys and older men."

The aftermath resulted in Yiannopoulos resigning from his post as senior editor at Breitbart News and seeing his book deal canceled by publisher Simon & Schuster.



8. Kathy Griffin

In May, comedian Kathy Griffin set the internet ablaze after a photo of her holding a gory, Donald Trump-like prop headsurfaced online

Griffin quickly apologized for the photo on social media, saying, "I went too far." But CNN announced shortly thereafter that Griffin would no longer cohost "New Year's Eve Live" alongside co-host Anderson Cooper. Toilet stool company Squatty Potty also dropped Griffin in the aftermath of the reactions to the image.



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