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All the TV shows that have been canceled in 2018

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The Librarians TNT

It's still early in the year, but the list of canceled TV shows is already piling up.

Networks haven't announced many cancellations yet, except for ABC, which canceled its freshman sitcom "The Mayor" and "Once Upon a Time," once a ratings hit. And in March, TNT announced the cancellation of its original series "The Librarians."

On the streaming side, things are a bit different. Amazon kicked off the year with a slew of cancellations, announcing the end of three quirky comedies, including the Golden Globe nominee "I Love Dick" and the comedian Tig Notaro's semi-autobiographical show, "One Mississippi."

There are many more cancellations to come, especially since networks haven't announced the fate of their fall shows.

We'll update this list as more are announced.

Here are all the shows that have been canceled this year, including those from networks and Netflix:

SEE ALSO: The worst TV show of every year since 2000, according to critics

"The Mayor" — ABC, one season



"Chance" — Hulu, two seasons



"Lady Dynamite" — Netflix, two seasons



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Colin Firth's wife has admitted she had an affair with the man she accused of stalking her

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colin firth and wife livia

  • Colin Firth's wife Livia Giuggioli has admitted she had an affair with the main she accused of being her stalker.
  • She says she was romantically involved with 55-year-old journalist Marco Brancaccia during a brief separation from Firth years ago.
  • Firth and Giuggioli claim Brancaccia began stalking the couple after the affair when they reunited. Brancaccia denies the claims.


The wife of British actor Colin Firth, Italian producer Livia Giuggioli, has admitted that she had an affair with the journalist and childhood friend she accused of stalking her.

Italian police reportedly launched an investigation after the couple complained that 55-year-old journalist Marco Brancaccia, a childhood friend of Giuggioli who works for Italian news agency Ansa, had been making threatening telephone calls and sending texts to Giuggioli.

Police reportedly seized Brancaccia's phone and computer after Giuggioli told authorities she "lived in terror" of her former acquaintance, who denies the accusations.

Now, Brancaccia has told The Times that Giuggioli had invented the claims to cover up an affair the pair had between 2015 and 2016.

Both Giuggioli and Firth have confirmed the affair did, in fact, take place — but stick to the claim that Brancaccia has been stalking the couple since.

A spokesman for the couple provided a statement to The Times, which said: "A few years ago Colin and Livia privately made the decision to separate. During that time Livia briefly became involved with former friend Mr Brancaccia. The Firths have since reunited.

"Subsequently, Mr Brancaccia carried out a frightening campaign of harassment over several months, much of which is documented."

Brancaccia has repeatedly denied that he stalked the couple, telling The Times: "We were romantically involved, she wanted to leave Colin for me. My 'stalking' consisted of two messages via WhatsApp after she ended our relationship in June 2016, and an email.

"I wrote an email to Colin about my relationship with Livia, which I now regret sending, and she filed a complaint against me for stalking out of fear that I could go public with what she had revealed to me about her marriage and work. In a year she sent me hundreds of messages of love, photos and videos, even a diary."

Firth, who is known for his Oscar-winning performance in "The King's Speech" as well as roles in films like "Bridget Jones's Diary," married Giuggioli in 1997, gaining Italian citizenship last year.

The couple own a home near the town of Città della Pieve in Umbria and have two sons, 16-year-old Luca and 13-year-old Matteo.

SEE ALSO: Colin Firth and his wife say they are 'living in terror' because a childhood friend is stalking them

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NOW WATCH: Why 555 is always used for phone numbers on TV and in movies

The massively popular free-to-play video game 'Fortnite' is coming to iOS and Android devices

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fortnite on mobile

  • Developers behind the hugely popular "Fortnite" video game are soon releasing an iOS version of the game for Apple mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, and iPods. 
  • An Android version is coming in the "next few months."
  • The mobile version of the game will allow players to battle against console and computer players.
  • It'll also allow "Fortnite" players to play the game wherever they bring their mobile devices – away from the constraints of home consoles and computers.

 

Developer Epic Games will soon make its massively popular "Fortnite" game available to play on iOS devices, and eventually Android devices in the "next few months."

"Fortnite" is a battle-royale style game, where 100 online players fight against each other on a large map to become the last survivor. On several levels, "Fortnite" is similar to "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds"– often known as "PUBG" – which is another massively popular battle-royale style video game. 

"Fortnite" is free to play on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Mac, and is owned by around 45 million people. A whopping 3.4 million people were playing the game concurrently at one point in February. Bringing the game to iOS and Android devices will surely raise the ownership number to higher levels. 

Fortnite: Battle Royale

"Fortnite" players will be able to play cross-platform when the game becomes available on mobile devices. That's to say a player using an Xbox will be able to play with another player using a mobile device, like a smartphone or tablet. Bringing the game to mobile devices will also let gamers play "Fortnite" wherever they bring their mobile devices, not just on their home consoles or computers. All that's needed is an internet or data connection. 

Epic Games claims the mobile version of the game will bring "console quality graphics and action." It'll be interesting to see how mobile device players fare against console and computer players who arguably have the advantages of a larger screen and greater gaming controls. 

You can sign up to join the invite list on the Fortnite website starting on Monday, March 12. 

SEE ALSO: Over 45 million people are playing a bizarre shooter that pits 100 players against each other in a fight to the death — here's what's going on

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NOW WATCH: We built Nintendo's next big thing, Nintendo Labo

'Wonder Woman' director Patty Jenkins confirms Kristen Wiig will play the villain Cheetah in the sequel

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  • "Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins confirmed that actress Kristen Wiig is joining the film's sequel.
  • The casting had been rumored since last week, and Jenkins confirmed the news on Twitter on Friday.
  • Wiig will play the role of the Cheetah, who is one of Wonder Woman's greatest foes in the comic books.

 

"Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins has found her villain for the film's sequel. 

Jenkins confirmed on Friday via Twitter that Kristen Wiig will join the untitled "Wonder Woman" sequel as the hero's greatest foe from the comic books, the Cheetah.

"So excited to confirm the most thrilling news. Yes! It’s true! So incredibly lucky to welcome the sensationally talented Kristen Wiig to our Wonder Woman family. Can't wait to finally work with one of my favorites. And SO excited by what we have planned," Jenkins tweeted.

 

Wiig had been rumored for the role since last week, but it hadn't been confirmed until Friday with Jenkins' tweet. Jenkins is returning to direct the sequel, along with actress Gal Gadot in the title role. Not much more is known about the sequel beyond that, other than it is scheduled to be released in November 2019 and will likely take place during the Cold War in the 1980s, as Wonder Woman takes on the Soviet Union.

The original Cheetah character first appeared in Wonder Woman comics in the 1940s and is one of Wonder Woman's oldest villains. Since then, there have been a few characters known as the Cheetah. The most recent version of the character in the comic books is Barbara Minerva, an archaeologist who is transformed in a cheetah-like being through an ancient African ritual.

SEE ALSO: The top movie genre women love is 'action' — and only 9% prefer 'romance' or 'romantic comedy'

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NOW WATCH: Why 555 is always used for phone numbers on TV and in movies

The 50 best superhero movies of all time, ranked

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avengers

"Black Panther" has swiftly become a phenomenon, and it's proof that the superhero genre isn't slowing down.

With movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe already scheduled for the next few years, and the DC Extended Universe still pushing forward despite a rocky start ("Aquaman" hits theaters later this year), the genre is here to stay. That's not even mentioning the non-DC or Marvel films still to come (a "Hellboy" reboot is scheduled for next year).

The genre has produced some very bad movies, and some truly great ones. For every "Catwoman" there is a "Wonder Woman." As we prepare for another "Avengers" movie (now on April 27), Business Insider reflected on the decades of superhero movies to determine the best. 

This is a personal ranking, so we didn't determine it from critic or audience scores. But we did consider the critical acclaim, cultural relevance, and commercial success when ranking the movies, especially the top ones. Of course, personal preference also plays a part. 

Superhero movies can come in many shapes and sizes, and that's reflected in this list. Some may not be what people would consider typical superhero movies, but they don't always need to be based on a comic book or feature colorful costumes to be part of the genre.

The top 50 superhero movies of all time are below:

SEE ALSO: There's a new 'Star Wars' live-action TV show coming to Disney's Netflix competitor — and it will be written by the director of 'Iron Man'

50. "The Rocketeer" (1991)

Directed by Joe Johnston

I'm not saying this movie made the cut because of its gorgeous poster (seen above), but it certainly helped. But beyond the poster, the movie is pure entertainment. It prepared Joe Johnston to direct "Captain America: The First Avenger," another corny but fun movie where the hero fights Nazis, who, in "The Rocketeer," are after a stolen jet-pack that our stunt pilot-hero uses to fly. 



49. "Ant-Man" (2015)

Directed by Peyton Reed

"Ant-Man" is one of the more forgettable entries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (there's plenty more of those movies to come), but it packs a comedic punch that other superhero movies often fail to get right. The film went through some behind-the-scenes turmoil, as director Edgar Wright ("Baby Driver") left the project for creative differences. But Peyton Reed stepped up to the plate and delivered an enjoyable film where Paul Rudd is surprisingly heroic in the title role.



48. "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011)

Directed by Joe Johnston

Another Joe Johnston movie, this time with a hero a little more well-known — Captain America, in his first film since the 1990 disaster. Luckily, Marvel Studios has a reputation for reviving classic characters these days. The movie is pure camp, but it works for the alternate-World War II setting. Chris Evans was molded to play the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Steve Rogers, who, after a genetic experiment becomes a superpowered propaganda machine ... I mean, Captain America.



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Why 555 is always used for phone numbers on TV and in movies

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When TV shows and movies need to use a phone number as part of the story, they typically use one that starts with 555. We spoke with an official historian at AT&T to find out why these three numbers were chosen.

It turns out that the answer has a lot to do with the way telephone numbers evolved over time. Following is a transcript of the video. 

"Pick up your phone and call the professionals: Ghostbusters."

Narrator: Did you ever wonder why phone numbers in TV shows and movies always start with the numbers 555?

555-1125.

It's 555-3455.

555-2401.


Narrator: The short answer is that most 555 numbers are not working numbers, so real people won't be harassed if diehard fans try to call them. 555 was an exchange combination that was not used very often in the American telephone system.

You may get a wrong number, or no number at all. 

Narrator: An FCC contractor called the NANPA, or North American Numbering Plan Administration, is tasked with assigning numbers for use. 555-1212 is still used for Directory Assistance and 555-4334 is reserved for Assigned National use. But a set of 100 555 numbers have been officially designated for use in Hollywood, 555-0100 through 555-0199.

Cory Gillis, 555-0176. 

Narrator: Back in the early '90s, 555 numbers outside that range could be reserved for information service providers, but this program was shut down by the NANPA in 2015. While those other numbers might one day be put back in circulation, the 100 reserved for TV and movies will not, so they will always be safe for use. So, how specifically did 555 become the famous number that it is today?

Decades ago, phone numbers used to look a lot different. They consisted of a word and a five-digit numerical code. The word was a telephone exchange name and the number was assigned to a specific phone in that area.

Sheldon Hochheiser: Up until 1919, all telephone calls were manual. You had to start by speaking to an operator. 

This is WY 5-2240.

Narrator: References to this system can be seen in the names of movies, like "BUtterfield 8." And songs like the Glenn Miller Orchestra's, "PEnnsylvania 6-5000," which calls hotel Pennsylvania in New York.

Hochheiser: These were based on names that could be easily understood verbally.

Narrator: Eventually, phone companies switched to a system where customers had to dial themselves.

We are changing your telephone service over to dial. Take up your receiver, and always listen for the dial tone.

Narrator: Phone numbers were reached using numbers corresponding to the first two letters of the exchange name. So, if you wanted to call Pennsylvania 6-5000, you would dial 73-6-5000. Since seven corresponds with PQRS on the keypad, and three corresponds to DEF. For Butterfield, you would start with 28. So, with this in mind, let's take another look at 555.

Hochheiser: Now, some combinations for the first two letters of a word worked better than others. One of the combinations that were very difficult to correlate to useful exchange names was 55.

Narrator: On the keypad, five has the letters JKL. Letters, which when placed next to each other, don't make many words or exchange names. So, there were not many real phone numbers starting with 55.

Hochheiser: Klondike, which has become well-known, is about the only one. 

Klondike 4-2106, Los Angeles please.

Then call Klondike 5-3226.

Narrator: These numbers were often shortened to just the first two letters plus the five digit code. Since Klondike five was not frequently assigned, it found other uses. Bell systems noted in an official guide that the 55X exchange was reserved for radiotelephone.

The portable transmitting and receiving radio unit that makes it possible to combine radio and wire telephony for communication purposes. 

Narrator: This was actually a very small group of numbers used in early mobile phones. Klondike 5 was also a sample number used in old phone company advertisements and it began to be used in old movies and TV shows. Eventually, area codes were introduced allowing for more available phone numbers and the exchange names were abolished, but the 555 trope is still used today in Hollywood.

What's the phone number of this store? - 555-2310. 

Narrator: So, if you're looking for a Ghostbuster, who are you gonna call? No one.

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New study reveals that bones found on a Pacific Island were likely the remains of Amelia Earhart

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Amelia Earhart

  • A new study using modern forensic osteology methods reveals that bones found on the the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro are likely to be of the famed aviator Amelia Earhart.
  • Earhart disappeared during an attempted flight around the world in 1937.

A new analysis concludes that bones found in 1940 on the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro are likely the remains of famed aviator Amelia Earhart.

The new report is the latest chapter in a back-and-forth that has played out about the remains, which are now lost.

All that survive are seven measurements, from the skull and bones from the arm and leg. Those measurements led a scientist in 1941 to conclude that they belong to a man.

Now University of Tennessee anthropologist Richard Jantz has weighed in with a new analysis of the measurements, published in the journal Forensic Anthropology.

"Some have summarily dismissed these bones as the remains of Amelia Earhart because they were assessed as male by Dr. D. W. Hoodless, principal of the Central Medical School, Fiji, in 1940," Jantz wrote in the abstract of the study.

But forensic osteology was not a well-developed discipline when Hoodless' conducted his assessment, especially concerning the methods and data used to determine the sex of the bones, Jantz wrote. 

Jantz compared "Earhart’s bone lengths with the Nikumaroro bones using Mahalanobis distance," he wrote. "This analysis reveals that Earhart is more similar to the Nikumaroro bones than 99% of individuals in a large reference sample. This strongly supports the conclusion that the Nikumaroro bones belonged to Amelia Earhart."

Earhart disappeared during an attempted flight around the world in 1937. The search for an answer to what happened to her and her navigator has captivated the public for decades.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best military commanders of all time, according to Napoleon Bonaparte

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The 50 best documentaries of all time, according to critics

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Muhammad Ali in

Some of the greatest moments in cinematic history are scenes of non-fiction.

From a profile of boxing legend Muhammad Ali to a portrait of a renowned sushi chef, the best documentaries capture real-life phenomena in a memorable and artful fashion.

To find out which documentary films have received the most critical acclaim over time, we turned to the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes for its ranking of the top documentaries in history.

The site ranked the films by a weighted critic score that accounts for variation in the number of reviews each film received. 

Here are the 50 best documentaries of all time, according to critics:

SEE ALSO: All 49 of Netflix's notable original movies, ranked from worst to best

50. "Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me" (2014)

Critic score: 98%

User score: 79%

Summary: "The uncompromising Tony and Emmy Award-winner is showcased both on and off stage via rare archival footage and intimate cinema vérité."



49. "The Overnighters" (2014)

Critic score: 98%

User score: 84%

Summary: "Broken, desperate men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor risks everything to help them."



48. "The Look of Silence" (2015)

Critic score: 96%

User score: 90%

Summary: "A family that survived the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers."



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A box-office analyst predicted 'Black Panther' would make more money than 'The Last Jedi' in China, and its opening day proved it will do just that (DIS)

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black panther

  • "Black Panther" earned an estimated $22.7 million its first day of release in China.
  • It's on pace to outgross what "The Last Jedi" earned there, as comScore box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian predicted to Business Insider earlier this week.
  • "Black Panther" should hit $1 billion at the global box office by the end of this weekend.


"Black Panther" is proving that in China the Marvel Universe is more powerful than The Force.

The box-office sensation hit theaters in the second-largest movie market in the world on Friday and is on pace to outgross the latest "Star Wars" movie, "The Last Jedi."

Early estimates have "Black Panther" taking in $22.7 million on its first day, according to Deadline. That's almost as much as "The Last Jedi" earned in its entire opening weekend in China ($28.7 million).

This is no surprise for comScore box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian, who told Business Insider earlier this week that "Black Panther" would preform better than "Last Jedi."

"The 'Star Wars' brand doesn't have the built in audience that Marvel has developed over the years," he explained.

Though "Star Wars" has been branded into the minds of North Americans (and other regions of the world) for generations, China has been behind on its access to the saga.

It's only been showing "Star Wars" movies since the late 1990s, when the prequels were the first-ever "Star Wars" films shown in theaters (outside of piracy). The original trilogy wasn't released in China until "A New Hope" opened in 2015.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, on the other hand, has been getting plenty of attention in China. 

Outside of "The Force Awakens," all the recent MCU titles performed stronger in China than the recent "Star Wars" releases — $109.1 million for "Doctor Strange," $100 million for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," and $116.2 million for "Spider-Man: Homecoming." In fact, none of the "Star Wars" movies have broken the $100 million mark in China since "The Force Awakens" ($124.1 million).

"The Last Jedi" earned $42.5 million in China.

"Black Panther" looks to be on its way to be in that company. And it's tracking to hit the $1 billion global box office milestone by the end of this weekend.

SEE ALSO: The 50 best actors working today, from box-office titans to essential scene-stealers

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NOW WATCH: Why 555 is always used for phone numbers on TV and in movies

19 Netflix original shows that both critics and audiences agree are amazing

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end of the f ing world

TV viewers and TV critics aren't often on the same page. But where the interests of the two overlap, you're sure to find some quality shows.

Recent Netflix original series "The End of the F***ing World" is one such program.

Acclaimed by both critics and fans, the British dark comedy recently won an enthusiastic endorsement from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, who called it the "most engaging addictive original" in a long time. 

To figure out which other Netflix original series were beloved by both groups, we turned to the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes to see which Netflix original shows scored at least an 85% "Fresh" rating with critics and audiences. 

Excluding docu-series, talk shows, and kids shows, we ranked these series by averaging their critic and audience scores on the site, and we used critic scores to break any ties.

Here are 19 Netflix original shows that both critics and audiences love:

SEE ALSO: Pixar's most and least successful movies at the box office, ranked

19. "Castlevania" — 87%

Critic score: 85%

Audience score: 89%

Average score: 87%

Netflix description: "A vampire hunter fights to save a besieged city from an army of otherworldly beasts controlled by Dracula himself. Inspired by the classic video games."



18. "W/ Bob and David" — 87%

Critic score: 88%

Audience score: 86%

Average score: 87%

Netflix description: "After being dishonorably discharged from the Navy Seals, 'Bob and David' are back serving our country the way they do best -- making sketch comedy."



17. "Anne with an E" — 88%

Critic score: 87%

Audience score: 89%

Average score: 88%

Netflix description: "A plucky orphan whose passions run deep finds an unlikely home with a spinster and her soft-spoken bachelor brother. Based on 'Anne of Green Gables.'"



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You can get some 'Mario Kart' in Google Maps starting today (NTDOY, GOOG, GOOGL)

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  • Google Maps and Nintendo announced a temporary, opt-in feature that allows users to "navigate the world as Mario."
  • "Mario Mode" changes Google Maps' blue navigation arrow to a "Mario Kart" character, in honor of Nintendo's iconic video game series.
  • It's in honor of March 10th, or "Mario Day." Mar. 10. Mario. Get it? 
  • "Mario Mode" will be available for a week, according to Nintendo.

Nintendo collaborated with Google Maps to bring the world "Mario Mode," an optional feature that allows users to "navigate the world as Mario."

In simple terms, "Mario Mode" changes Google Maps' blue navigation arrow to a go-kart from the "Mario Kart" games. 

Starting today, Google Maps users can unlock the feature by clicking the question mark box at the bottom right corner of the Directions screen. From there, just click "Let's-a go!" and it's Mario time. 

google maps mario kart

The gimmick was announced as a celebration for March 10, named "Mario Day," because "MAR10" looks a little like the word "Mario" when written down. Google Maps confirmed via its official Twitter account that the feature will be available for a full week, so users can activate (or deactivate) "Mario Mode" at any time between now and March 16.

The Japanese game company is currently working on "Mario Kart Tour," the first time the series will appear on smartphones. 

As a historical sidenote, Google and Nintendo have worked together before for these kinds of fun stunts. In fact, in 2014, Google and the Pokémon Company (which Nintendo jointly owns) teamed up for an April Fools joke that put Pokémon all over the map. That partnership ultimately resulted in the birth of "Pokémon Go."

Check out how to activate it, and what it looks like, below: 

 

SEE ALSO: Nintendo has announced that it's releasing a 'Mario Kart' game for smartphones

SEE ALSO: The man behind 'Mario Kart' addresses the game's divisive blue shell: 'Sometimes life isn't fair'

Activate it by clicking the question mark block in the bottom-right hand corner of the screen. In the "Super Mario" games, these blocks dispense mushrooms and other useful items.



Now, it's Mario Time!



Just watch out for Blue Shells out there.

 



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The amount of money The Rock gets paid for a single movie is unheard of in today's movie business

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Dwayne Johnson Jeff Spicer Getty final

  • Dwayne Johnson commands a payday that Hollywood hasn't seen in a long time.
  • For the upcoming movie, "Red Notice," Johnson is asking $22 million plus box-office profits.
  • That steep figure hasn't been seen in the business since Will Smith, George Clooney, and Julia Roberts' heyday in the late 1990s.


With a string of box-office hits under his belt, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is one of the biggest action stars working today — and it turns out he's commanding a paycheck that's on a level Hollywood hasn't seen in years.

Whether it's being matched with his "family" in the "Fast and Furious" franchise, teaming with Kevin Hart, or going it alone, Johnson is box-office gold — and because of that, he now commands over $20 million a movie.

According to a term sheet of Johnson's that mirrored the final deal for the upcoming Universal movie "Red Notice" that The Wall Street Journal obtained, Johnson would earn $22 million to star in the movie, plus earn profits pending the movie's performance at the box office. 

The $22 million for Johnson is broken down to $21 million base pay and $1 million for Johnson's "social media support" towards the movie, according to the Journal.

In regards to any profits on the movie, the producers — Johnson is one of them — and director Rawson Marshall Thurber ("Central Intelligence" and upcoming Johnson movie "Skyscraper") will receive 50%. That 50% will be split up, with Johnson receiving 30%, Thurber receiving 10%, and the other producers on the movie getting 10%.

And that's not all. 

jumanji welcome to the jungle sonyFor each $25 million worldwide box office earned after the movie grosses 2.5 times its budget, Johnson, Thurber, and the producers pocket $1 million each.

To put that in perspective, if a similar deal was made for Sony's "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" — which was made for $90 million and has now grossed over $931 million — Johnson would have pocketed tens of millions of dollars after his base pay.

According to the Journal, all the major studios were interested in the "Red Notice" project and Universal won out. The final terms were not identical to the terms sheet, but according to the paper they "were close." The movie has a budget of around $160 million.

Regardless, what Johnson can command is unheard of in today's Hollywood. 

Not since the late 1990s and early 2000s when actors like Will Smith, George Clooney, and Julia Roberts were earning $20 million paydays has the industry seen this. A big reason for that is with the popularity now of IPs and effects-heavy projects (like "Avatar"), moviegoers are buying tickets less for the stars, and more for the characters.

But Johnson is a different breed. With his superhero size and charisma, Johnson is more the draw than him playing a known character (similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone in the 1980s).

We may see "Red Notice" by 2020, but there's a lot of The Rock before then. Along with "Skyscraper" (which comes out this summer), he's got "Rampage" coming out in April.

SEE ALSO: The 50 best superhero movies of all time, ranked

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NOW WATCH: You can connect all 9 Best Picture Oscar nominees with actors they have in common — here's how

Netflix has created a 'positive halo for its content' — and that's going to help it make a killing (NFLX)

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  • While some investors may be wary about Netflix's estimated billions-of-dollars in spending on new and original content, one Wall Street analyst believes Netflix can back it up with its brand.
  • Viewers often have positive feelings about Netflix movies and TV shows even before they've seen them, which should help the streaming giant keep a healthy pace in subscriber growth, Bernstein analyst Todd Juenger says.
  • Watch Netflix's stock move in real time here.

When video watchers hear Netflix is behind a movie or TV show, they most often conclude that it has to be good, or at least worth the minimal investment of time to check it out.

That positive association with Netflix's brand could be hard for competitors to beat, and could help justify its estimated $12 billion investment in original content.

"The positive brand association Netflix has created among its members provides a positive halo for its content, giving Netflix a huge advantage because members are pre-disposed to think they will 'like' Netflix content, which usually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy," wrote Todd Juenger, a Bernstein analyst.

With some of its recent successes, such as "Bright," featuring Will Smith, the German production "Dark," and the Oscar award-winning documentary, "Icarus," Netflix has proven that it produces original content that will keep driving new and loyal subscribers back to its platform.

This is also helping the video streaming company draw some key Hollywood talent such as Ryan Murphy, the man behind "American Horror Story" and "Glee," and Shonda Rhimes, the producer behind such hits as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal." The fact that Netflix is able to pull such high-profile names also keeps them away from competitors, Juenger notes.

"While the price tag is high, the value of a 'hit show' for Netflix is also high, and it's nice to have your $12 billion in capable hands," Juenger said.

Netflix plans to spend billions of dollars on roughly 700 new original TV shows in 2018 as part of its strategy to build "a global moat" that would widen its competitive advantage, according to another Wall Street analyst.

In fact, investor confidence was so high for Netflix that a Stifel analyst downgraded the stock, claiming the "share price may have sprinted ahead of fundamentals in the short-term."

Netflix was up 3.78% on Friday at $328.84 per share. It was up 63.62% for the year.

Read more about why Netflix may be the best performing FAANG stock this year.

Netflix stock price

SEE ALSO: Netflix hits a record high — and it's the best performing FAANG stock this year

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NOW WATCH: The science of why human breasts are so big

Netflix has created a 'positive halo for its content' — and that's going to help it make a killing (NFLX)

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netflix bright

  • While some investors may be wary about Netflix's estimated billions-of-dollars in spending on new and original content, one Wall Street analyst believes Netflix can back it up with its brand.
  • Viewers often have positive feelings about Netflix movies and TV shows even before they've seen them, which should help the streaming giant keep a healthy pace in subscriber growth, Bernstein analyst Todd Juenger says.
  • Watch Netflix's stock move in real time here.

When video watchers hear Netflix is behind a movie or TV show, they most often conclude that it has to be good, or at least worth the minimal investment of time to check it out.

That positive association with Netflix's brand could be hard for competitors to beat, and could help justify its estimated $12 billion investment in original content.

"The positive brand association Netflix has created among its members provides a positive halo for its content, giving Netflix a huge advantage because members are pre-disposed to think they will 'like' Netflix content, which usually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy," wrote Todd Juenger, a Bernstein analyst.

With some of its recent successes, such as "Bright," featuring Will Smith, the German production "Dark," and the Oscar award-winning documentary, "Icarus," Netflix has proven that it produces original content that will keep driving new and loyal subscribers back to its platform.

This is also helping the video streaming company draw some key Hollywood talent such as Ryan Murphy, the man behind "American Horror Story" and "Glee," and Shonda Rhimes, the producer behind such hits as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal." The fact that Netflix is able to pull such high-profile names also keeps them away from competitors, Juenger notes.

"While the price tag is high, the value of a 'hit show' for Netflix is also high, and it's nice to have your $12 billion in capable hands," Juenger said.

Netflix plans to spend billions of dollars on roughly 700 new original TV shows in 2018 as part of its strategy to build "a global moat" that would widen its competitive advantage, according to another Wall Street analyst.

In fact, investor confidence was so high for Netflix that a Stifel analyst downgraded the stock, claiming the "share price may have sprinted ahead of fundamentals in the short-term."

Netflix was up 3.78% on Friday at $328.84 per share. It was up 63.62% for the year.

Read more about why Netflix may be the best performing FAANG stock this year.

Netflix stock price

SEE ALSO: Netflix hits a record high — and it's the best performing FAANG stock this year

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The eSports competitive video gaming market continues to grow revenues & attract investors

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eSports Advertising and Sponsorships

This is a preview of a research report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about BI Intelligence, click here.

What is eSports? History & Rise of Video Game Tournaments

Years ago, eSports was a community of video gamers who would gather at conventions to play Counter Strike, Call of Duty, or League of Legends.

These multiplayer video game competitions would determine League of Legends champions, the greatest shooters in Call of Duty, the cream of the crop of Street Fighter players, the elite Dota 2 competitors, and more.

But today, as the history of eSports continue to unfold, media giants such as ESPN and Turner are broadcasting eSports tournaments and competitions. And in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch, the live streaming video platform that has been and continues to be the leader in online gaming broadcasts. And YouTube also wanted to jump on the live streaming gaming community with the creation of YouTube Gaming.

eSports Market Growth Booming

To put in perspective how big eSports is becoming, a Google search for "lol" does not produce "laughing out loud" as the top result. Instead, it points to League of Legends, one of the most popular competitive games in existence. The game has spawned a worldwide community called the League of Legends Championship Series, more commonly known as LCS or LOL eSports.

What started as friends gathering in each other's homes to host LAN parties and play into the night has become an official network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues with legitimate teams, some of which are even sponsored and have international reach. Organizations such as Denial, AHQ, and MLG have multiple eSports leagues.

And to really understand the scope of all this, consider that the prize pool for the latest Dota 2 tournament was more than $20 million.

Websites even exist for eSports live scores to let people track the competitions in real time if they are unable to watch. There are even fantasy eSports leagues similar to fantasy football, along with the large and growing scene of eSports betting and gambling.

So it's understandable why traditional media companies would want to capitalize on this growing trend just before it floods into the mainstream. Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly. By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million.

eSports Industry Analysis - The Future of the Competitive Gaming Market

Financial institutions are starting to take notice. Goldman Sachs valued eSports at $500 million in 2016 and expects the market will grow at 22% annually compounded over the next three years into a more than $1 billion opportunity.

And industry statistics are already backing this valuation and demonstrating the potential for massive earnings. To illustrate the market value, market growth, and potential earnings for eSports, consider Swedish media company Modern Times Group's $87 million acquisition of Turtle Entertainment, the holding company for ESL. YouTube has made its biggest eSports investment to date by signing a multiyear broadcasting deal with Faceit to stream the latter's Esports Championship Series. And the NBA will launch its own eSports league in 2018.

Of course, as with any growing phenomenon, the question becomes: How do advertisers capitalize? This is especially tricky for eSports because of its audience demographics, which is young, passionate, male-dominated, and digital-first. They live online and on social media, are avid ad-blockers, and don't watch traditional TV or respond to conventional advertising.

So what will the future of eSports look like? How high can it climb? Could it reach the mainstream popularity of baseball or football? How will advertisers be able to reach an audience that does its best to shield itself from advertising?

Robert Elder, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled an unparalleled report on the eSports ecosystem that dissects the growing market for competitive gaming. This comprehensive, industry-defining report contains more than 30 charts and figures that forecast audience growth, average revenue per user, and revenue growth.

Companies and organizations mentioned in the report include: NFL, NBA, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, Ligue de Football, Twitch, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, Electronic Arts, EA Sports, Valve, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, ESL, Turtle Entertainment, Dreamhack, Modern Times Group, Turner Broadcasting, TBS Network, Vivendi, Canal Plus, Dailymotion, Disney, BAMTech, Intel, Coca Cola, Red Bull, HTC, Mikonet

Here are some eSports industry facts and statistics from the report:

  • eSports is a still nascent industry filled with commercial opportunity.
  • There are a variety of revenue streams that companies can tap into.
  • The market is presently undervalued and has significant room to grow.
  • The dynamism of this market distinguishes it from traditional sports.
  • The audience is high-value and global, and its numbers are rising.
  • Brands can prosper in eSports by following the appropriate game plan.
  • Game publishers approach their Esport ecosystems in different ways.  
  • Successful esport games are comprised of the same basic ingredients.
  • Digital streaming platforms are spearheading the popularity of eSports.
  • Legacy media are investing into eSports, and seeing encouraging results.
  • Traditional sports franchises have a clear opportunity to seize in eSports.
  • Virtual and augmented reality firms also stand to benefit from eSports.  

In full, the report illuminates the business of eSports from four angles:

  • The gaming nucleus of eSports, including an overview of popular esport genres and games; the influence of game publishers, and the spectrum of strategies they adopt toward their respective esport scenes; the role of eSports event producers and the tournaments they operate.
  • The eSports audience profile, its size, global reach, and demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes; the underlying factors driving its growth; why they are an attractive target for brands and broadcasters; and the significant audience and commercial crossover with traditional sports.
  • eSports media broadcasters, including digital avant-garde like Twitch and YouTube, newer digital entrants like Facebook and traditional media outlets like Turner’s TBS Network, ESPN, and Canal Plus; their strategies and successes in this space; and the virtual reality opportunity.
  • eSports market economics, with a market sizing, growth forecasts, and regional analyses; an evaluation of the eSports spectacle and its revenue generators, some of which are idiosyncratic to this industry; strategic planning for brand marketers, with case studies; and an exploration of the infinite dynamism and immense potential of the eSports economy.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

  1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> START A MEMBERSHIP
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How playing video games affects your body and brain

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Fortnite: Battle Royale

Video games are by many measures one of the most popular and commonly enjoyed forms of entertainment of our time, yet there's a lot of controversy around them.

In the wake of tragic events like the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, political figures like President Donald Trump have declared they want to investigate links between video games and violence.

"I'm hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people's thoughts," Trump said after the Parkland shooting.

President Obama had similar questions after the Sandy Hook school shooting in Newton, Connecticut.

"Congress will fund research into the effects that violent video games have on young minds," he said at the time, also calling for policies that would ban the purchase of military-style weapons and improve background checks for firearm purchases (changes that could have an impact on gun violence).

Even the World Health Organization has considered adding "gaming disorder" to a list of mental health conditions, stating that problematic gaming behavior might cause problems in other areas of people's lives.

But many other people have pointed out that some types of games offer benefits, including the potential to improve people's ability to pay attention and process visual information.

For all of these reasons, people have lots of questions surrounding what science says about the effects of video games. Do games cause violence or aggression? Are they addictive? Are they healthy ways to relax and de-stress? Could they improve brain processing speed?

Similar questions have arisen after every new form of media appeared — including television, movies, pop music, comics, and even books.

Fortunately, there's a fair amount of research that about how video games affect our brains and bodies. Here are the most important takeaways.

SEE ALSO: 14 of the biggest myths about sleep, debunked

Many kids and adults play video games — they're not just of interest to young men.

According to the Entertainment Software Association's (ESA) 2017 survey:

  • 65% of households have at least one member who plays games three hours a week or more, and the average gamer is 35 years old.
  • Of the "gaming" population, there are more adult women (31%) than boys under 18 (18%).
  • Of people who play video games, 59% are male and 41% are female.


Some studies link playing violent games to slight increases in aggression — though aggression is not the same as violence.

One review of research by the American Psychological Association found that people who played violent video games were very slightly more likely to engage in aggressive behavior (actions like playing a loud sound that people they were competing against could hear over an audio system). However, the APA said playing games was not enough to cause aggression.

Other studies have found no link between game violence and violent or aggressive thoughts. Some researchers, like APA member Chris Ferguson, have even disputed findings connecting games to aggression, saying many of the studies that drew such conclusions had methodological problems.

Either way, aggressive behavior is not the same as violence.



The release of games like Grand Theft Auto doesn't seem to increase crime rates — and may do the opposite.

A 2015 study found that in the months after popular violent video games are released, aggravated assault and homicide rates tend to drop. The researchers behind the study said the explanations for this correlation are complicated. Some scientists think people might experience some aggression-reducing catharsis from playing violent games; others say that aggressive people might seek out violent media and then play games instead of engaging in behavior that might lead to criminal activity.

Either way, there doesn't seem to be any increase in criminal activity associated with playing games.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I'm not a gamer, but I tried 'Fortnite' for the first time and now I'm obsessed — here are 6 reasons why I love it

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I'm not much of a gamer. 

Actually, that's an understatement — I don't play video games at all

The sum total of my gaming experience includes a round of "GoldenEye 007" I played at a friend's house once as a kid, and maybe a couple of poorly executed games of "Guitar Hero" in high school.

The only reason I sort of know how to use an Xbox controller is because it powers our Netflix at home.

So imagine my surprise that when I arrived home one day a few weeks ago to find my roommate playing a game called "Fortnite: Battle Royale," I was not only interested in watching, I actually wanted to play. 

For the uninitiated, "Fortnite" is a third-person shooter video game that's a little like "The Hunger Games." It plops you in the middle of an island with 99 other players, and you're forced to use your wits, weaponry, and construction skills to survive. 

I played a few rounds of "Fortnite" this week, and now I'm hooked. Here's what I — a non-gamer — love about the game:

SEE ALSO: These sleek $250 earbuds can translate languages in real time — and it's like something out of 'Star Trek'

1. "Fortnite" chooses your character for you, which helps it feel inclusive.

You can't choose your own avatar in "Fortnite" — instead, the game automatically selects a person for you.

I played three games of "Fortnite," and each time I played as a different character. My first game, I was a buff, blonde, all-American hunk with biceps each the size of a healthy toddler.

My second time out, I was an equally svelte man of indeterminate race who got me to 30th place out of 100.

By my third game, I got to play as a woman — a tanned, muscular Lara Croft-type who helped me get my best score yet.

And while it was fun to play as someone who at least shared the same chromosomes, it didn't really matter to me whether I was represented by a guy or a girl, or by someone with the same racial makeup — it's just fun to play the game.

By automatically generating the avatars, "Fortnite" helps eliminate racial or gender bias and keep players focused on the game itself. 



2. "Fortnite" isn't particularly bloody or violent, which are two turn-offs for me.

"Fortnite" is a violent game on its face. You are, after all, in a battle for your life, and you're using grenades and rocket launchers to kill your opponents. 

But the violence is bloodless, and mowing down other players never feels like the focal point of the game — in fact, you could probably win "Fortnite" by hiding out in a shed for the entirety of the match. 

I never successfully killed anyone — remember, I never play video games, so my shooting skills are practically non-existent — but even when someone killed me, it wasn't gory or scary. 

When I watch my roommates play games like "Call of Duty," they're violent and intimidating to me. But "Fortnite" is just plain fun. 



3. "Fortnite" is colorful and cartoonish instead of dark and suspenseful.

A lot of shooter games I've seen have been dark, suspenseful, and anxiety-inducing — and they're just not for me. 

"Fortnite," on the other hand, is bright and colorful, and looks more like a cartoon than the increasingly realistic video games I've seen.

Playing it feels fun rather than intense, and I like that there are no dark corners or creepy shadows people can pop out of. For the most part, it's just 100 animated super-athletes running around a beautiful island on a sunny day — they just happen to be carrying automatic weapons. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 50 best animated movies of all time, according to critics

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Wall-E

Disney animated movies have been a well-established force in the genre for many decades.

But while Disney films rank high (and often) among the most critically acclaimed animated films of all time, the company is sporadically outranked on this list by movies from the likes of Warner Bros. and Studio Ghibli (Hayao Miyazaki's company). 

To find out which animated films have received the most critical acclaim, we turned to the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes for its ranking of the top animation-based movies in history.

The site ranked the films by a weighted critic score that accounts for variation in the number of reviews each film received.

Here are the 50 best animated movies of all time, according to critics:

SEE ALSO: The best movie of every year since 2000, according to critics

50. "Bambi" (1942)

Critic score: 90%

Audience score: 72%

Summary:"The story of a young deer growing up in the forest."



49. "The Triplets of Belleville" (2003)

Critic score: 94%

Audience score: 90%

Summary:"When her grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madame Souza and her beloved pooch Bruno team up with the Belleville Sisters — an aged song-and-dance team from the days of Fred Astaire — to rescue him."



48. "Coraline" (2009)

Critic score: 90%

Audience score: 73%

Summary:"An adventurous 11-year-old girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets."



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The 50 best actors working today, from box-office titans to essential scene-stealers

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50BestActors2_ShayanneGal

With the Oscars done, it's time to start the discussion: Who are the best actors in Hollywood working today?

There's a massively long list of contenders, but we've sized it down to 50.

Some of these luminaries can carry a movie to box-office glory in their sleep, while others bring the acting talent that makes a good movie great.

Here are the 50 best, broken down into four categories.

Did your favorite make the cut?

SEE ALSO: The 100 best movies on Amazon Prime right now

THE LEGENDS



Glenn Close

She hasn't been attached to any major titles of late, but she's still one of the most talented actors. It seems like the six-time Oscar nominee will be in the conversation at next year's Oscars when Sony Picture Classics releases "The Wife," which wowed audiences at last year's Toronto International Film Festival.



Judi Dench

If any movie has Dame Judi in it you know, despite what you think of the film, she's going to be one of the most memorable things about it. With her regal swagger, if a story needs some class, she's still the top one to call.



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The 38 most notable deaths in the 'Star Wars' movies, ranked by how sad they made us

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luke skywalker last jedi

"Star Wars" is literally about war in the sky, which means that a lot of lives have been lost along the way.

But somehow, General Hux is still alive.

Some of the characters lost throughout the "Star Wars" films have been in our lives for decades, like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. And some had small but powerful roles in just one movie that made us shed a lot of tears despite their brevity, like Amilyn Holdo in "The Last Jedi."

But with some characters, we couldn't wait for them to die. So when they did, we were cheering (Jabba the Hutt, Palpatine).

We ranked 38 notable deaths from the movies, from the porg Chewie cooked to Obi Wan Kenobi. We chose the deaths of characters who had names, had more than a few lines, and/or had some kind of impact on a major plot point or a major character.

Here's the Star Wars deaths ranked, from least tragic to most tragic:

SEE ALSO: The 50 best superhero movies of all time, ranked

38. Jabba the Hutt

When: "Return of the Jedi"

Cause of death: Leia chokes him with the chains he bound her in. 

Jabba was awful, and we're glad Leia was the one who got to end his days. 



37. Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious

When: "Return of the Jedi"

Cause of death: Falls down the reactor shaft of the second Death Star when Darth Vader turns on him to save Luke's life.

Finally! It was about time Palpatine fell down a reactor shaft. His death was not sad, but it was an emotional moment for the Skywalker boys. 



36. Grand Moff Tarkin

When: "A New Hope"

Cause of death: He's inside the Death Star when the Rebel Alliance destroys it. 

Tarkin served his purpose. He was an example of an evil person within the Empire that isn't Vader or the Emperor. His death was karma getting back at him for destroying Alderaan with such enthusiasm. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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