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The Rock is getting paid $1 million to post on social media about a new movie he's in

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Dwayne Johnson The Rock

  • Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is charging Universal Pictures $1 million to promote his upcoming film "Red Notice" on his own social media pages, according to Variety. 
  • The million-dollar "social-media fee" is part of his $22 million salary for the film, which is second only to Daniel Craig's $25 million salary for the upcoming "James Bond" film, according to Variety's round-up of high-profile film salaries.
  • Johnson currently stands at 105.6 million followers on Instagram, 57.7 million on Facebook, and 12.9 million on Twitter.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's payday for his upcoming 2020 film, "Red Notice," is a nearly unheard of salary of $22 million plus box office profits, as The Wall Street Journal first reported. 

But $1 million of that total salary consists of a "social-media fee." According to Variety, this means that Johnson is charging the film's studio, Universal Pictures, in order to promote "Red Notice" on his own social media pages, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 

The action-movie star's payday for "Red Notice" is second only to Daniel Craig's salary for the upcoming James Bond film ($25 million), among the recent high-profile movie salaries reported in a round-up by Variety. 

Johnson came in second to Mark Wahlberg on Forbes' 2017 list of the highest-paid actors in the world, earning $65 million between June 2016 and June 2017. 

Johnson currently boasts 105.6 million followers on Instagram, 57.7 million followers on his Facebook page, and 12.9 million followers on Twitter

Before the release of "Red Notice" in 2020, Johnson is set to star in the action movie "Skyscraper" this summer and a sequel to his successful 2018 film "Jumanji" in 2019. 

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

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MoviePass has been boosting the box office in 2018, but it's burning $20 million a month to do so (HMNY)

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avengers infinity war

  • If the 2018 box office performs better than Wall Street predicted, it might be because of MoviePass.
  • The monthly movie ticket subscription company claims to account for 6% of the domestic box office.
  • The 2018 box office is up 4.6% from this time last year.
  • However, the number of tickets sold isn't spiking — it's the same number as this time last year, which ended up being a 25-year low in the US.


If the movie industry has a solid year at the box office, it might be because of MoviePass

The monthly movie ticket subscription company boasts that it currently accounts for 6% of the domestic box office, and with the 2018 box office currently up 4.6% from this time last year, one analyst believes it could be partly due to a MoviePass bump.

“We believe that at least some of the better-than-expected 2018 year-to-date box office has been driven by MoviePass,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Leo Kulp wrote in a note to clients on Monday.

At the beginning of the year, Wall Street was concerned how the movie business would shape out in 2018, as fewer sequels were scheduled to be released and there isn't a “Star Wars” release in December (as in previous years).

But with massive successes like “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Infinity War” in the first half of the year, there seems to be more hope about 2018. And it seems the popularity of MoviePass should get some credit. But how long will this good thing go on for?

Stock of MoviePass's owner, Helios and Matheson Analytics, dropped over 30% during trading on Tuesday following the company's update on its cash and deposits, and losses. One thing that stood out was that HMNY is averaging a cash deficit of about $21.7 million a month since September, though the company did note that some tweaks to the MoviePass app and service led to a reduction of "more than 35%" in its cash deficit during the first week of May.

However, AMC Theaters chief executive Adam Aron gave a glimpse of how much MoviePass has to dish out each month to pay for the discounted tickets its subscribers order. Aron told analysts on a conference call Monday night that MoviePass, in April, paid an average of $12.02 per ticket to the movie chain. He also revealed that MoviePass users went to the movies an average of 2.75 times.

"Now, I took the calculator out and I multiplied 2.75 times $12.02 and I got to a number that was considerably larger than $9.95," Aron said on the call, referring to MoviePass' monthly subscription cost.

And despite the numerous releases that are breaking box office records so far this year, the estimated number of tickets sold to date compared to this time last year is dead even at 449.5 million, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners. That's not a good sign, as last year ended with ticket sales at a 25-year low in the US

Have a tip about MoviePass or anything else? Email jguerrasio@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: 15 movie sequels that are better than the original

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Nintendo is getting in its own way by not putting its classic games store on the Switch — something fans have been craving for over a year

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  • In a surprise move, Nintendo confirmed it isn't bringing its Virtual Console classic games store to the Switch console.
  • Instead, the Nintendo Switch Online service will provide access to a limited library of Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games. It costs $20/year.
  • It's a bizarre decision, as the Virtual Console service has been a major component of Nintendo's online strategy for over a decade.


For the first time since Nintendo's GameCube, there will be no classic game store on a Nintendo console: The Switch.

Starting with the Nintendo Wii back in 2006, Nintendo has always had an online storefront for buying digital versions of classic games. It first launched on the Wii under the "Virtual Console" name, and it remained as such on subsequent Nintendo hardware. Even Nintendo's handheld gaming line, the 3DS, has a version of the Virtual Console. 

It's a pretty incredible proposition: You pay somewhere between $5 and $20 to play classic games like "Super Mario World," "The Legend of Zelda," and much more.

But Nintendo isn't bringing that service to its newest console, the outrageously popular Nintendo Switch.

Super Mario Odyssey

"There are currently no plans to bring classic games together under the Virtual Console banner as has been done on other Nintendo systems," a Nintendo of America representative said in an email on Tuesday. Bummer!

They did offer some other options, though: "There are a variety of ways in which classic games from Nintendo and other publishers are made available on Nintendo Switch, such as through Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo eShop or as packaged collections."

The last part of that statement offers a peek into Nintendo's logic behind not putting Virtual Console on the Nintendo Switch: There's a new online service ("Nintendo Switch Online") coming this September that Nintendo wants people to use.

For $20/year, you get three main things  — see if you can guess which matters here:

  1. Cloud saves for "most" games.
  2. Access to online multiplayer features, including parties, voice chat, and matchmaking.
  3. Access to the "Nintendo Entertainment System — Nintendo Switch Online" games library, a collection of 20 classic NES games that will grow over time.

If you guessed that the last of those three things is the reason for Nintendo not putting Virtual Console on the Switch, you guessed correctly!

Rather than selling original Nintendo Entertainment System games on a Virtual Console storefront a la carte, Nintendo is bundling together 20 of them and building an ongoing, instant library of classic games. For $20/year, you'll get instant access to classics like "Super Mario Bros.," "The Legend of Zelda," "Balloon Fight," and 17 other NES games.

Even better: Every classic NES game on the Switch will have new online functionality. In some games, you can play co-op online with friends or go head to head, and in all games you can watch a friend play remotely. Friends can even "share" the controller online by handing off control of a game over the internet.

Super Mario Bros. 3

This is also a good proposition, no doubt. 

But Virtual Console was much more than NES games — it was Super Nintendo, and Nintendo 64, and Game Boy, and even more obscure stuff like Game Gear and, in Japan, MSX. It was a virtual storefront that offered access to a library of classic games unheard of on other consoles. It was a retail storefront serving as a means of game preservation, offering one of very few legal avenues for playing older games.

As one Reddit user in the Nintendo Switch subreddit said in response to the news, "I had no intention to run any homebrew on my Switch. That changed in a hurry."

Put more plainly: Making it hard or impossible to access classic games pushes people to find other ways to play them. Often, those ways are legally dubious at best — so-called "homebrew" often means enabling emulation software that runs ripped, digital copies of classic games ("ROMs").

Super NES Classic Edition

Since Nintendo created an expectation that its consoles would always have access to its Virtual Console service, there's an especially strong reaction to the revelation that the Switch isn't getting it.

"I would 100% prefer an actual, legitimate VC library," one Reddit user said. "But when they make decisions like this it makes the idea of homebrew super appealing. Why in the fuck would Nintendo not capitalize on all the ridiculously huge list of old games that people would buy up in an instant?"

Except Nintendo of course is capitalizing on its massive classic game library in other ways, like the "Classic Edition" consoles. Both the NES Classic Edition and Super NES Classic Edition were major hits, bundling dozens of classic games together into adorable, miniature re-creations of the NES and Super NES consoles. They're essentially "Greatest Hits" collections for the NES and Super NES, which by its very nature excludes hundreds of other games.

It's a shrewd business move that's assuredly contributing to Nintendo's steadily rising stock value, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the beloved Virtual Console service.

The kind of person who owns a Switch and also buys Nintendo's Classic Edition mini consoles is the kind of person who also buys Virtual Console games. Incidentally, that kind of passionate Nintendo fan also seeks out emulators when there's no easy way to access classic games.

SEE ALSO: The Nintendo Switch online service costs $20/year, granting access to classic games and long-awaited new features

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The owner of MoviePass crashes below $1 a share (HMNY)

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HMNY


MoviePass owner Helios & Matheson Analytics (HMNY) is crashing Wednesday, down more than 30% to an all time low of less than $1 a share. The heavy selling is a continuation of Tuesday's plunge that developed after the company said it was burning through cash. Shares have lost more than 50% of their value since Monday's close. 

The company said in an 8-K filing Tuesday that it had "approximately $15.5 million in available cash and approximately $27.9 million on deposit with our merchant processors for a total of approximately $43.4 million." It estimates that its seen an average cash deficit of $21.7 million per month from September to April. 

HMNY shares have plunged more than 85% this year. 

SEE ALSO: Sears is soaring after saying it will team up with Amazon on tires

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Dr. Dre lost a trademark battle to a gynecologist in Pennsylvania called Dr. Drai

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Dr. Dre

  • Dr. Dre has lost a trademark battle to a gynecologist called Dr. Drai, BBC News reports.
  • Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, filed a complaint in 2015 against Draion M. Burch, saying that Burch's moniker would cause "confusion" for consumers.
  • Burch argued that consumers would be unlikely to confuse him with Young "because Dr. Dre is not a medical doctor."
  • The US Patent and Trademark Office dismissed Young's case in a ruling last week.

Dr. Dre lost a long-running trademark dispute this week to a Pennsylvania-based gynecologist who was looking to trademark the name Dr. Drai, BBC News reports.

Dr. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, filed a complaint in 2015 against the gynecologist, Draion M. Burch, saying that Burch's "Dr. Drai" moniker would cause "confusion" in the marketplace, as Burch intended to sell audio books and web seminars using the name.

But the US Patent and Trademark Office dismissed Young's case in a ruling last week, saying that the music mogul failed to show how people would be misled into buying Burch's products, according to the BBC. 

Burch argued in the case that consumers would be unlikely to confuse him with Young "because Dr. Dre is not a medical doctor nor is he qualified to provide any type of medical services or sell products specifically in the medical or healthcare industry."

He also stated that an association with Young would be "a bad reflection on me as a doctor," citing "misogyny and homophobic things" in Young's rap lyrics, according to The Washington Post

Burch, whose website touts himself as "One of America’s Top Women's Health Experts," is the author of a book called "20 Things You May Not Know About the Vagina," and the host of web seminars with titles like "What Your Mama Didn’t Tell You About Making Babies."

Young, the cofounder of headphone company Beats by Dre and a legendary producer and rapper, is currently working on new solo music to follow up his 2015 album "Compton."

SEE ALSO: The 50 best-selling music artists of all time

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Disney CEO says the future of Marvel movies includes 'a new franchise' beyond 'Avengers' — here's what that could mean

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avengers x-men

  • While discussing the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe during an earnings call on Tuesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger said Disney and Marvel would "try our hand at what I'll call a new franchise beyond 'Avengers.'"
  • That could mean many different things, but the most logical answers lie in the Disney-Fox deal, which would give Disney access to a bevy of new characters like the X-Men and the Fantastic Four.
  • With these characters, the MCU could easily build up to "event" movies like "Infinity War" that don't necessarily revolve around the Avengers. 

The fourth "Avengers" movie next year might be a conclusion of sorts for the status quo of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the franchise doesn't have any plans to slow down.

While discussing the future of the MCU on an earnings call on Tuesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger indicated Disney and Marvel Studios were thinking about life after "Avengers," including a new franchise to carry the MCU.

"We meet on a regular basis with our Marvel team, and we've plotted out Marvel movies that will take us well into the next decade," Iger said, adding: "I'm guessing that we will try our hand at what I'll call a new franchise beyond 'Avengers.'"

Since the MCU debuted in 2008 with "Iron Man," each "phase" has culminated in a different "Avengers" movie: "The Avengers" in 2012, "Age of Ultron" in 2015, and the two-part finale beginning this year with "Infinity War" and ending next year with its sequel.

"A new franchise beyond 'Avengers'" could mean many things, but when taking this into consideration, it could mean that the next phases of the MCU will build to "event" movies that don't necessarily revolve around the Avengers.

There are plenty of comic-book characters who would make worthy additions to the MCU — but how would they fit into the grand scheme of things?

The most logical answer lies in the Disney-Fox deal, which, should it be finalized, would give Disney and Marvel access to the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, characters whose film rights Fox owns.

If Marvel were to decide it wants to use those characters, it would open up huge possibilities for the MCU. The characters and storylines from the comic books that would be in Disney's possession span decades.

Iger also said this "doesn't necessarily mean that you won't see more 'Avengers' down the road," so perhaps the MCU could loosely adapt a comic mini-series called "Avengers vs. X-Men" in the future.

It could also mean that the current version of "Avengers" will end but a new one will rise from it. That's what happens in the comics, after all.

In 2005, the original Avengers were torn apart, and a team formed that consisted of newcomers like Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, and Wolverine (there's your "X-Men" connection). They were appropriately called the New Avengers.

The Fox deal would also allow the MCU to explore cosmic ideas seen in the comic books. With the rights to the Fantastic Four, the MCU could introduce the Silver Surfer and villains like Galactus and Annihilus. That could lead to something similar to a 2006 event comic book called "Annihilation," which involved a war among Marvel's space-related characters.

The storyline also included Nova, the last remaining member of the Nova Corps. In "Infinity War," Thor mentions that Thanos destroyed the Nova Corps — introduced in "Guardians of the Galaxy" — to retrieve one of the Infinity Stones. So Nova's origin story has already been established, and it would be easy to expand upon it if Marvel wanted to go in that direction.

There are storylines in Marvel's comic books that the MCU hasn't touched. If the "Infinity War" sequel really is an end to this era of the MCU, then it's not a stretch for it to follow a path like this.

More on the Marvel Cinematic Universe:

SEE ALSO: Why Disney rarely pays movie stars huge salaries

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I swapped TV for books for 2 weeks, and it didn't have the effect I expected

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television

  • Television has become a staple in many people's routines, especially now that streaming shows and movies are available at the click of a button.
  • As an avid TV watcher, I decided to rediscover my childhood love for books by replacing TV with reading for two weeks.
  • It was difficult, and I found myself missing my evening television viewing, but I've shifted my entertainment habits as a result of this experiment.

 

When I was 9, my parents moved our family to a house in the suburbs and bought a huge flat-screen television. Suddenly TV, which until then had been limited to a half-hour after school — if I didn’t have homework — became an essential part of my daily life.

After this shift, reading became an educational activity rather than the pure entertainment it had been before.

Recently, I found myself missing reading for fun. Plus, I have a stack of books next to my bed that are more decorative than anything else at this point. So I decided to give up my two-hour postwork TV habit for two weeks and replace it with reading.

By the end of the experiment, I made a dent in my bedside-reading stack. I finished a new book (Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House”), reread another (Tina Fey’s “Bossypants”), and started “Tenth of December,” a collection of short stories by George Saunders.

The experiment also affected me in ways I wasn’t expecting.

SEE ALSO: 8 facts that will convince you to read a book instead of binge-watching TV tonight

1. I listened to a lot more music than usual.

I work from home, and I quickly figured out that I had been using the television to simulate having someone else in the room while I worked.

With that gone, I was acutely aware of how solitary my job is. I quickly restarted the Spotify premium membership I'd recently cancelled for some much needed background noise.



2. I realized how blurry the lines are between TV and digital culture.

The rules of engagement for this experiment were not as cut and dried as I thought they were. Was I allowed to watch Instagram or Snapchat videos? Could I watch a news clip on Twitter?

Watching video online felt like cheating, so I decided to avoid it (with the notable exception of dog videos). This decision made me feel left out of certain events, like the White House Correspondents' Dinner. But with the speed of the news cycle, I got over my FOMO quickly.



3. I focused a lot more on what I was giving up than what I gained.

"The Haunting of Hill House" was suspenseful and reminded me of how much I loved sci-fi books as a kid. Tina Fey's memoir made me laugh and think about how much pop culture has changed in the past seven years. George Saunders' collection of short stories was delightfully unpredictable and made me want to pick up creative writing again.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

What we know about Quentin Tarantino's new movie, which stars Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie

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tarantino dicaprio

Quentin Tarantino announced earlier this year that Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio would be starring in his upcoming ninth film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," which partly involves the Manson Family murders.

On Monday, Tarantino and DiCaprio teased a few details about the film at the Las Vegas industry event CinemaCon. This week, Margot Robbie confirmed to IndieWire that she was playing the role of actor Sharon Tate in the film.

Pitt worked with Tarantino on 2009's "Inglorious Basterds," and DiCaprio appeared in 2013's "Django Unchained."

"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is set for release August 9, 2019.

Here's everything we know about Tarantino's upcoming ninth film:

SEE ALSO: Quentin Tarantino's next film will be released by Sony following the Harvey Weinstein scandal

DON'T MISS: Charles Manson was sentenced to 9 life sentences for orchestrating 7 gruesome murders with his cult 'family' — here's his life story

The film takes place in "Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood."

Tarantino described "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" in a statement last month, calling it, "a story that takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), former star of a Western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Both are struggling to make it in a Hollywood they don't recognize anymore. But Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor ... Sharon Tate."

In July 2017, early reports of the film described its script as focused on the murder of actress Sharon Tate by Charles Manson's followers.

While Tarantino's most recent statement mentions Sharon Tate as a player in the movie, Tarantino previously said that the film would not center on Manson but on the year 1969.

At CinemaCon on Monday, Tarantino did not add much to the description of the plot, calling the project "very hush-hush and top secret."



It has been five years in the making.

Tarantino said last month that he had been working on the script for the film for half a decade.

"I've been working on this script for five years, as well as living in Los Angeles County most of my life, including in 1969, when I was 7 years old," he said. "I'm very excited to tell this story of an LA and a Hollywood that don't exist anymore. And I couldn't be happier about the dynamic teaming of DiCaprio and Pitt as Rick and Cliff."



It's a "'Pulp Fiction'-esque movie."

Deadline reported in January that DiCaprio would play an "aging actor" in a "'Pulp Fiction'-esque movie." "Pulp Fiction," Tarantino's 1994 classic, told a collection of interconnected stories.

On Monday, Tarantino confirmed this sentiment by saying that "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" is "probably the closest to 'Pulp Fiction' that I have done."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Meet the high-profile lawyer and professional sports car driver representing Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against Trump — who says more 'bombshells' on Cohen are coming

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michael avenatti Stormy Daniels Lawyer

At the moment, Michael Avenatti may be the most high-profile lawyer in America. The 47-year-old seasoned litigator has made headlines in recent weeks thanks to his client, adult film actress and director Stormy Daniels.

Just days before the 2016 US election, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen arranged a $130,000 payment to Daniels to keep her silent about an affair she allegedly had with Trump in 2006.

Avenatti has since sued the president, on Daniels' behalf, accusing Trump of invalidating a non-disclosure agreement, and of defaming Daniels. Avenatti says the violation allows Daniels to reveal her side of the story to the public, and in March, she did just that in a blockbuster "60 Minutes" interview on CBS News.

As Daniels' profile has risen, so has Avenatti's. Here's what you should know about him:

SEE ALSO: Meet 'Stormy Daniels', the porn star Trump's lawyer paid to keep quiet about an alleged sexual affair — who's finally telling her side of the story

DON'T MISS: Stormy Daniels' lawyer makes bombshell allegation that Russians reimbursed Trump lawyer Michael Cohen after $130,000 hush payment

Avenatti graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996. Three years later, he received his JD degree from George Washington University.



During college and law school, Avenatti worked for The Research Group, a campaign research firm founded by Rahm Emmanuel, former President Barack Obama's chief of staff and the current Democratic mayor of Chicago.

Source: Chicago Magazine



After graduating law school, Avenatti worked at O'Melveny & Myers, a high-powered Los Angeles law firm. Over the course of his legal career, he has contributed to several high-profile cases involving Paris Hilton, Jim Carrey, and members of the rock band The Eagles.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Rumors are swirling that family drama is making big problems for Team 10, Jake Paul's YouTube star factory

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jake paul youtube

  • Jake Paul's L.A.-based creative incubator Team 10 is reportedly facing some difficulties. 
  • Team 10 has lost some employees in recent months, including its CEO, as well as one of Paul's longtime friends.
  • The rumor is that the behavior of Greg Paul, father to Jake, is putting employees off and fostering a hostile working environment. 
  • Another rumor holds that Greg Paul wants Jake to merge his business with that of his brother, the infamous YouTube star Logan Paul.

Last year, Vine star and YouTube celebrity Jake Paul formed Team 10, an incubator focused on turning top YouTube talent into money-making superstars. Now, the infamous YouTube star's creative empire might be in trouble, according to a report by Polygon.  

In recent months, it's been reported that multiple employees of Team 10 have left the company, including CEO Nick Crompton and Paul's longtime friend, Chance Sutton. In a statement published to Twitter, Crompton said that he decided to quit Team 10 because of "internal changes...that I don't agree with." Sutton posted a similar statement to Twitter, writing, "...it is in the best interest for the future of my career that I start to focus on myself."

The group, which is reportedly housed in Paul's $7 million mansion overlooking Los Angeles, is riddled by controversy and rumors — rumors that are largely circulated by YouTube gossip channels like Keemstar and Drama Alert. 

One piece of gossip  holds that Paul might be merging his business with that of his older brother, controversial YouTuber Logan PaulAccording to Keemstar, Greg Paul, father to Jake and Logan, has "completely taken over" his sons' businesses, with an eye towards pushing forward a merger of the two.

The rumor mill also holds that Greg Paul is difficult to work with, and allegedly promotes a hostile working environment, further complicating the situation. 

"Apparently Greg Paul doesn’t know how to act," Keemstar said in a YouTube video, as reported by Polygon. "He’s calling people ‘wh---s’ and ‘c--ts’ and derogatory terms at work.”

Representatives for Team 10 did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Read the full story over at Polygon here

SEE ALSO: YouTube's CEO explains why the site hasn't banned Logan Paul over his recent controversies

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We spoke to Cookie Monster about bitcoin, cookies, and self-regulation

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You probably know Cookie Monster as Sesame Street's resident cookie connoisseur, but did you know he is also a published author? He has a new book out called "The Joy of Cookies" which offers lots of advice and inspirational messages he has learned over the years. We stopped by Sesame Street in Astoria, Queens to chat with Cookie Monster and try to get some business advice. Following is a transcript of the video.

Cookie Monster: Business Insider. Whoa, this sounds exciting. Wow. Me Cookie Monster. Nice to meet you. Me here on Sesame Street. Uh, me excited to be here. Well, me live here. What's it like? That a broad question. Well um, it a, it a great place to live. Me live here me whole life. Uh, me love, all me friends are here. Me get, the cookies right over there at Hooper's. Uh, me love it here. Oh, well, um, you know, over the years me um, have had many profound thoughts about cookies and other things. Some philosophical. Some inspirational. Some sweet. Some just for fun. And me wanted to share them with the world. So me wrote book. Well this a good one. This me got from me Grandma Cookie Monster. Yeah. She me inspiration, by the way. She said to me once, "Be the monster you cookie deserves." Straightforward. Oh, you want business advice from Cookie Monster? You sure about that? OK.

Interviewer: Do you know about Bitcoin?

Cookie Monster: Me know about Bitcookie. Me know that me have cookie and me do this. That me bit cookie. Well, me can talk about self-regulation. Me, OK, me do have issues with controlling meself. Fruit, cookie, fruit, cookie. Ah. This tough decision. So me got strategies me use to help me to control meself. Well, what me like to um, to control meself, me sometimes like to take deep breath. And it calm youself down. So like, if me saw a cookie right there, and me wanted to eat said cookie, me would just kind of take a little step back, maybe distract meself, maybe look away. No see cookie. Maybe sing a song. And then, after while, me can eat said cookie. Like this. And if you can imagine crumbs flying and that how me do it. That a long answer. Hopefully you'll edit it down.

Interviewer: So you eat a lot of cookies?

Cookie Monster: Thank you, yes me do. Thank you for noticing.

Interviewer: What's your favorite cookie?

Cookie Monster: Chocolate chippie. Classic. Why me love cookies? Uh, they just the perfect food. They round, they crunchy, they soft in the middle. Chocolate, chocolatey. Sorry, me got to go get a cookie right now. 'Scuse me.

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The $10 Battle Pass in 'Fortnite' is a worthwhile addition to an already great game — here's why

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"Fortnite" is a free game — stop wondering.

Fortnite (mobile)

There's a paid version of it, and you can buy stuff in it, but it costs nothing to jump into the game's wildly popular "Battle Royale" mode that pits 100 players against each other in a fight to the death.

If you are going to buy something in "Fortnite" — or you want to give a "Fortnite" fanatic a great gift — there's one item that's more important than anything else: the so-called "Battle Pass," which costs roughly $10.

Here's why it's such a crucial item.

SEE ALSO: There's a simple, obvious reason 'Fortnite' is the biggest game in the world right now

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1. The Battle Pass makes "Fortnite" into a much more rewarding experience.

The draw of "Fortnite" is the game's "Battle Royale" mode, no doubt, but part of what keeps people playing is the game's progression system. The more you play the game, the more stuff you unlock for your character — outfits, dances, and a variety of other cosmetic inanity.

Crucially, none of these unlocks offer a competitive advantage.

They're intended as a fun addition — for personalizing your avatar, and showing off a bit. Maybe you've got a rare backpack, for instance! Experienced players will know it's something you could only get by playing a ton of the game, or mastering a specific challenge, or whatever else. 

By buying the Battle Pass, the game's progression system instantly becomes more complex and rewarding. You'll unlock far more stuff in a far shorter period of time, and the stuff is also much better. 



2. Better still: There are a ton of challenges to complete with the Battle Pass, which turns the game into something much more interesting.

In buying the Battle Pass, you unlock Battle Pass challenges, which are lengthy lists of objectives that turn each round of "Fortnite" into something different. 

Tired of trying (and likely failing) to reach first place? Why not tackle some challenges!

Go collect the letters that spell out "Fortnite," for instance, or loot eight different chests in Tilted Towers — whatever the objective may be, however silly.

It's a subtle layer of additional objectives, and one you could fully ignore, but why would you? It's a ton of fun, and it's a nice additional push that keeps me playing. 

Even if you're not interested in tackling specific objectives, it's entirely likely you'll accidentally complete some just by playing the game. Often, challenges are as simple as, "Kill two players using shotguns." — the kind of thing you're likely to do in the course of play.

Thus: Having the Battle Pass is a worthwhile purchase even if you're not interested in tackling side objectives.



3. The stuff you get is beyond worth the $10 asking price for the Battle Pass.

You can buy some pretty swanky stuff for your avatar in the "Fortnite" digital store. 



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Roseanne Barr is defending an episode of 'Roseanne' that people are calling Islamophobic

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Roseanne

  • On Tuesday night's episode of "Roseanne," Roseanne thinks that her neighbors of Muslim descent are building a bomb.
  • The episode has multiple racially insensitive jokes that a Muslim American writer on Twitter called "dangerous."
  • Roseanne Barr quickly came to the episode's defense, saying that her show tells "real stories" about "real people."

On Tuesday night's episode of ABC's controversial revival of "Roseanne," the title character, played by comedian Roseanne Barr, thinks that her neighbors of Muslim descent are building a bomb. The episode has been called Islamaphobic, and Barr has already come to the show's defense.

In the episode, called "Go Cubs," Roseanne is spying on her Muslim neighbors because she is suspicious of them. "Did you see the crazy amount of fertilizer they got stacked up near their garage?" Roseanne asks. "That's how they make bombs. What if this is a sleeper cell full of terrorists getting ready to blow up our neighborhood?" Roseanne also refers to the country her Muslim neighbors are probably from as "Talibanjistan." They're from Yemen.

People on social media were quick to criticize the racially insensitive and outdated jokes throughout the episode, including Thought Progress editor Elham Khatami, who is a Muslim American. "This is tired," Khatami wrote on Twitter. "Roseanne thinking her Muslim neighbors are terrorists isn't funny. Not even for a second. Muslims deal with that bigotry on a daily basis. And it's dangerous."

On Tuesday night, Barr defended the episode on Twitter, saying that her show is about "real issues and real people":

Later in the episode, Roseanne goes to her Muslim neighbor's house to use their WiFi, only to find out that the family isn't much different than her own. Their WiFi password is "Go Cubs."

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NOW WATCH: Why Apple makes it so hard to get a new iPhone battery

AT&T paying Trump's lawyer gobs of cash is a PR nightmare that raises big questions

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Michael Cohen

  • AT&T paying a "consultant" for insight into President Donald Trump's administration is standard procedure in Washington, experts say.
  • A giant company facing a mega merger would likely have an army of lobbyists promising some unique level of access: "That’s what Washington is all about."
  • Still, the fact that Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, isn’t a registered lobbyist experienced in the workings of the federal government raises questions.
  • A big one is whether AT&T expected something concrete in return for the money it funneled to Cohen.
  • The special counsel Robert Mueller who is overseeing an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election has contacted AT&T over its payment to Cohen.


AT&T paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s firm, Essential Consultants, might seem strange. But paying to gain the ear of a powerful government figure is business as usual in the "swamp" of Washington, experts say, especially for a behemoth company with a pending merger.

"Twenty percent of the buildings on K Street are lobbyists selling you access pretty forthrightly," Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, told Business Insider. "That’s what Washington is all about."

On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for the porn star Stormy Daniels, released a document revealing that "Essential received $200,000 in four separate payments of $50,000 in late 2017 and early 2018 from AT&T." A CNBC report suggests the number could be as high as $600,000.

AT&T confirmed to Business Insider that Essential Consultants was "one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration."

AT&T had good reason to need insight. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that AT&T “wanted guidance” on how Trump would react to its proposed merger with Time Warner. (AT&T did not respond to a request for comment on that report.)

Trump didn’t react favorably. While most observers had expected the $85 billion deal to not face too many regulatory headaches, the Justice Department threw a wrench into the merger last November when it sued to block it. The status of the deal is pending.

Buying access to Trump

Gordon said any company of AT&T’s size, especially one seeking approval for a merger, would want the type of insight and access someone like Cohen could provide.

Former lobbyist Mark Naples, who runs the digital media consulting firm WIT Strategy, agreed. Given the stakes involved in the proposed Time Warner merger, he said, the sum is not outrageous.

“What Trump has been referring to as 'The Swamp' he was going to drain is what we in DC used to call 'Gucci Gulch,’” Naples told Business Insider. “I was a lobbyist for 11 years, and knew all sorts of guys who had LLCs like Essential Consultants."

“The thing [lobbyists] will boast about is getting you access to sell your side of the story,” Gordon said.

AT&T ceo randall stephenson

There’s no business as usual in Trump’s Washington

AT&T maintains that Cohen didn’t act as a lobbyist on its behalf.

AT&T told Business Insider that Essential Consulting did “no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017.”

Gordon said there wasn’t much difference between lobbying and consulting when it came to potential legal consequences for AT&T. Both are acceptable under the law as long as they don’t stray into the category of bribery.

“The law is very narrow in terms of what constitutes a bribe,” Mimi Rocah, a former federal prosecutor in New York, told Bloomberg. “You can pay money to get access to politics and curry favor — you just can’t pay money to get an official action.”

In a follow-up statement to Business Insider, an AT&T spokesperson said the special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating multiple threads in a probe of Russian interference in the 2016 US election, had contacted AT&T about its payment to Cohen.

“When we were contacted by the Special Counsel’s office regarding Michael Cohen, we cooperated fully, providing all information requested in November and December of 2017," the statement read, adding that its consulting contract with Cohen expired at the end of 2017.

AT&T's statement continues: "Since then, we have received no additional questions from the Special Counsel's office and consider this matter closed."

One veteran DC lobbyist told Business Insider that the payment to Cohen seemed “highly abnormal,” but it’s unclear whether AT&T was trying to gain more nebulous “influence” or saw this move as a way to pay for a specific action.

“Cohen doesn't know the function of government,” the lobbyist said. “So it begs the question whether corporate entities believed that being close to people close to Trump would be to their benefit. What we don’t know is whether they expected quid pro quo.”

But this is the Trump administration, where the norms in many areas of government have shifted.

“The world is upside down right now,” the lobbyist said.

It’s a PR nightmare for AT&T

Even if AT&T paying Cohen is legally fine, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a huge blunder.

Jo-Ellen Pozner, professor of management at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, said that hiring Cohen, who was not a traditional registered lobbyist, was a big ethical red flag.

Legally “this may be defensible but it’s extremely dubious,” she said. “If you're AT&T and need a lobbyist, you're not going to the white pages. They know all the industry players. Cohen is not a lobbyist and has no experience in telecom … So the only reason to find someone like that if you’re AT&T is to do something that is not quite lobbying.”

Plus, the fact that Trump has referred to Cohen multiple times as his “personal attorney,” and Cohen’s shell company seems to have been established just to funnel payments to Stormy Daniels, all makes AT&T’s choice to tap Essential Consultants look off.

“AT&T’s misstep was picking Cohen,” Gordon said. “They should have gone through an organized company.” He said whoever made that decision at AT&T was likely “in the hot seat” right now and that the “optics of Cohen are lousy.”

“It’s a big PR difference” for AT&T, he continued, even if it’s not a legal one. “The last thing [AT&T needs] is a ‘can you trust them’ PR moment,” he said, as it seeks to complete its Time Warner merger.

Indeed, angry Twitter users have been bombarding its account since the news broke.

“So AT&T, as one of your customers, I want answers about the money you paid to Michael Cohen,” one user wrote. “What was the money for exactly? I am considering dropping your services like a bag of dirt if that money was what I think it was for.”

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NOW WATCH: Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump tried to cut a secret deal with Planned Parenthood — here's what happened

Roku beats and raises its guidance (ROKU)

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Roku stock price

  • Roku reported first-quarter earnings that topped Wall Street expectations.
  • The streaming-device maker said it lost $0.07 per share on revenue of $136.6 million.
  • It also raised its full-year revenue guidance. 
  • Follow Roku's stock price in real-time here. 

Roku reported first-quarter earnings Wednesday that topped Wall Street's expectations. Here are the key figures:

  • Earnings per share (adjusted): -$0.07 versus an expected -$0.15
  • Revenue: $136.6 million versus an expected $127.43 million
  • Active accounts: 20.8 million

Shares rose about 2% immediately following earnings. Options contracts traded Wednesday had implied a 22% move for the stock. 

"The secular shift from legacy TV distribution to streaming continues unabated," the company said in a press release. "Our purpose-built TV operating system and advertising platform continue to lead the market. Moreover, our advertising and content partners are benefiting from our increasing scale. Nearly half of our roughly 21 million active users have cut the cord or have never had a traditional pay TV subscription, which means that they simply cannot be reached through linear TV. "

The company also raised its full-year guidance for 2018 to between $685 million and $705 million and said it expects to be at a near "break-even" financial situation by the end of the year. 

Shares rose more than 8% in regular trading Wednesday ahead of the earnings report. 

Historically, the stock has moved a full 32% following quarterly earnings. 

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's brother should be booted from Tesla's board as the company's looking 'more tenuous than ever'

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NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos on breaking up and regulating Amazon


50 Cent just announced he's leaving Instagram, where he has 18 million followers, because the site removed his content without telling him (FB)

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50 cent

  • 50 Cent is a major influencer on Instagram.
  • But now the rapper says he's leaving Instagram because the social network removed content from his account without warning him first.
  • He marked his return to Twitter with a photo of him raising a glass of rosé wine.

 

Instagram may have just lost a very influential user.

Rapper 50 Cent said goodbye to the photo-based social network, which is owned by Facebook, on Wednesday, sharing an image of him in a sharp suit and tie as he raises a glass of rosé.

"I'm leaving IG, I'm going back to Twitter. They take shit down off my page with out [sic] notifying me #censorthesenuts," 50 Cent said in a post shared to his 17.9 million followers.

I’m leaving IG, I’m going back to Twitter. They take shit down off my page with out notifying me. #censorthesenuts

A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent) on May 9, 2018 at 12:33pm PDT on

Curtis James Jackson III, known professionally as 50 Cent, said he decided to leave Instagram after the social network removed content from his account.

According to music industry blog HotNewHipHop.com, the content in question was a screenshot of musical artist Teairra Mari's sex tape. The post is no longer shown on 50 Cent's Instagram, and Business Insider was unable to independently verify the image's existence.

On Wednesday, Mari posted a note to her own Instagram page.

"Recently, my social media was compromised by someone who I felt was deserving of my love and trust. That person proved to be untrustworthy and posted footage of what in the moment was private and sacred," Mari wrote.

She added, "Revenge Porn [sic] is a crime in California and I will be in pursuit of justice."

Thank you to everyone for your prayers and kind words during this time. 🙏🏽 #ThisTooShallPass

A post shared by 👑Teairra Mari (@misstmari) on May 9, 2018 at 11:54am PDT on

If it was pornographic material, it wouldn't be surprising that it got bumped from Instagram.

The second item on the social network's terms of use reads: "You may not post violent, nude, partially nude, discriminatory, unlawful, infringing, hateful, pornographic or sexually suggestive photos or other content via the Service."

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

50 Cent has had a rocky year. TMZ reported in January that the "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" artist made $8 million after accepting bitcoin for his 2014 studio album. The rapper appeared to confirm the report in an Instagram post a day later, but he later denied having ever owned bitcoin.

50 Cent filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 2015, after racking up personal debts of more than $28 million. He also hit his former lawyers with a $32 million lawsuit in January 2018, alleging that his counsel failed to "provide effective representation" in a suit brought against him. In 2015, his ex-girlfriend Lastonia Leviston sued 50 Cent for publishing a sex tape of her and her partner with his own commentary online. He was ordered to pay Leviston $5 million.

SEE ALSO: 50 Cent reportedly told the bankruptcy court that he never owned bitcoin, contrary to a report that he made $8 million in crypto

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NOW WATCH: 50 Cent says the money in his Instagram photos is fake

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and supermodel Miranda Kerr welcome baby boy

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Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr

  • Model Miranda Kerr and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel have welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Hart.
  • Kerr also has a seven-year-old son, Flynn, from her previous marriage to Orlando Bloom.


Model Miranda Kerr and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel have welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Hart.

"Words cannot explain how happy we are to welcome our beautiful son into our family. Miranda is doing well and Flynn is excited to be a big brother. Thank you for the kinds words and wishes during this very special time," the couple said in a statement to People Magazine.

TMZ reported the baby was born on Monday at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles at around 11:50 p.m and that Hart is named after Spiegel's grandfather. 

Kerr also has a seven-year-old son, Flynn, from her previous marriage to Orlando Bloom. The couple separated in 2013. 

Kerr, 35, and Spiegel, 27, were married last May in a small ceremony at their home in Brentwood, California, in May, after dating for nearly two years.

Kerr was the first Australian to ever become a Victoria's Secret model.

SEE ALSO: Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr are have welcomed their first child — see how the power couple spends their $3.4 billion fortune

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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 Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider 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?

Business Insider 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.

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Our best guess of what the 'Avengers 4' title will be, based on the available evidence

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Avengers

  • The title for the fourth "Avengers" movie is shrouded in secrecy, and fans have already started to theorize about what it could be.
  • I have my own theory based on past interviews, titles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, and Marvel's comic books — "Avengers: Legacy."

 

This post contains spoilers for "Avengers: Infinity War."

The title of the fourth "Avengers" movie — which will conclude the story of "Infinity War" and this era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — is a closely guarded secret. The Russo brothers, the directors of "Infinity War," have said that it won't be revealed any time soon.

But considering that the movie comes to theaters next May, and "Infinity War" left a Thanos-sized hole in people's hearts, many are already theorizing what the title could be.

I have my own theory. I believe that the title will be "Avengers: Legacy."

This is based on three elements: what the MCU has done with titles so far; Marvel's comic books; and what has been said in interviews.

Interviews

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige once said that the title is a spoiler for "Infinity War." At the end of the movie, Thanos wipes away half of humanity in the universe, including many of the Avengers. But among the Avengers who remain are the original members (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow and, presumably, Hawkeye).

Disney CEO Bob Iger said this week that future MCU movies could include "a new franchise beyond Avengers." If "Avengers 4" really does mark an end for this era of the MCU, then "Legacy" makes sense. It signals both a long-awaited reunion and a move in a new direction following the movie. The band is getting back together before they all distance themselves from the franchise.

The Russos recently said that popular guess "Avengers: Forever" is "the closest anyone has come to getting the title right." Of course, they could be joking, but "Avengers: Legacy" fits that clue, as well.

The directors have also said the title is not spoken in "Infinity War," ruling out another popular guess of "Avengers: Endgame." 

MCU titles so far, and how they relate to comic books

Even if the title is a spoiler for "Infinity War," I can't imagine it being too on-the-nose (I say this knowing full well that the movie featuring Ultron was called "Age of Ultron," and the movie about Infinity Stones is called "Infinity War").

Yes, "Avengers" subtitles aren't exactly subtle, but both "Age of Ultron" and "Infinity War" are also titles of comic book storylines. The same can be said for "Captain America: Civil War" and "Thor: Ragnarok." The MCU heavily borrows elements of the comic books to inspire its movies, right down to the titles.

"Marvel Legacy" was a recent company-wide initiative to get Marvel's comics back to basics, while also laying the groundwork for the future — which is exactly what the fourth "Avengers" movie would probably do.

"Avengers: Legacy" follows an MCU pattern of borrowing comic book storylines, sort of spoils the end of "Infinity War" without being too direct about it, and indicates that the movie would honor the past while eyeing the future.

Are you convinced?

More on the Marvel Cinematic Universe:

SEE ALSO: All 19 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, ranked from worst to best

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The life and rise of 'Westworld' star Evan Rachel Wood, who was nominated for a Golden Globe as a teenager and has a deep connection to music and activism

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Dolores Abernathy by train Westworld

Evan Rachel Wood has been a famous actress for half of her life.

Now 30, she first gained fame for her  breakout leading role in 2003's "Thirteen," which snagged her a Golden Globe nomination.

After that film's success, she continued to appear in smaller independent films. Toward the later 2000s, her roles made her more high-profile thanks to meaty stints in Oscar-nominated films including "The Wrestler" and "The Ides of March."

Now, she's one of the best actors on television, starring on HBO's "Westworld" as Dolores Abernathy, a dangerous host with free will, and a primary anti-hero in the second season, airing now on HBO.

Wood is also an activist for women's rights, an outspoken victim of sexual assault, and an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. 

Here's how Wood's career has blossomed over the past two decades:

Evan Rachel Wood was born September 7, 1987 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Both of Wood's parents are actors, and her father runs a local theater company. Wood and her siblings would act in the productions at her father's theater as kids. 

When Wood's parents got divorced in the 90s, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother and began pursuing an acting career. She had a recurring role on "American Gothic," "Profiler," and "Once and Again," and also had roles in TV movies. 

Source: Biography



Wood's TV roles led to parts in big movies including "Practical Magic" and "Digging to China."

Wood has said that the 1998 film, "Digging to China," which starred Kevin Bacon, was the project that made her realize she wanted to be an actress for the rest of her life. 

 

 



In 2003, Wood starred in the film "Thirteen," opposite Nikki Reed and Holly Hunter.

"Thirteen" is about a thirteen-year-old girl who begins to experiment with drugs, sex, and crime. The film gained momentum after premiering at Sundance, and Wood was nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for best actress in a drama. The low-budget film, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, was primarily shot with handheld cameras. 

After the success of "Thirteen," Wood continued to work on independent films including "The Upside of Anger" with Kevin Costner and Joan Allen, and "Pretty Persuasion," which focused on themes of sexual harassment and discrimination in schools. 



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