Lucasfilm announced on Tuesday that it had "mutually chosen to part ways" with director Colin Trevorrow on "Star Wars: Episode IX."

"Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon," reads the brief announcement posted on StarWars.com.

Trevorrow rose to fame after directing the blockbuster "Jurassic World" in 2015, which went on to earn over $1 billion worldwide at the box office. But whispers about Trevorrow's ability to pull off a "Star Wars" movie started when his latest movie, the indie "The Book of Henry," opened earlier this year and was slaughtered by critics (it has a 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes).

Lucasfilm has had a rough summer on the public relations front. In June, the directors of the untitled Han Solo movie, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, were fired from the project over creative differences with Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy. The movie has since been taken over by Ron Howard. 

The next "Star Wars" movie will be "The Last Jedi" (episode VIII). It opens in theaters December 15.

SEE ALSO: 18 movies coming out soon that are major Oscar contenders

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A popular 'Game of Thrones' fan theory says Bran is the Night King — here's why

The first "Destiny" game, for me, is associated with deep disappointment.

As a long-time "Halo" fan, I was excited to be there for the launch of the next big series from Bungie Studios. The beloved studio even entered into a 10-year deal with mega-publisher Activision, ensuring that its next big franchise would be exactly that: big. 

Expectations were high and, after a series of chances to play early versions of the game ahead of launch, I was cautiously optimistic. "The shooting is fun!" I said to myself. "Assuredly the story is just bare bones because I'm playing a beta version of the final game; there must be other areas to explore that are bursting with life."

Obviously I was wrong. 

When the original "Destiny" launched three years ago, it felt rushed and messy. The story was incoherent, its world was small and empty, and enemy encounters were cookie-cutter — my interest in continuing to play fell off a cliff around halfway through.

On Wednesday, "Destiny 2" arrives. In my brief time with it thus far, "Destiny 2" seems like a vast improvement.

After spending around five hours with it, I have a very different reaction than I did last time: hope.

It is — dare I say it — a beautiful, thoughtfully designed, well-paced game. At least so far.

SEE ALSO: Attending Bungie's 'Destiny 2' event with my older brother was a precious memory I will never forget

Allow me to be clear that this isn't a review of "Destiny 2." It's a large game and I've only spent five-ish hours playing it (as of this writing) on PlayStation 4.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Destiny 2," including story and gameplay.

It probably goes without saying, but I'm going to speak explicitly about the first few hours of "Destiny 2" — beyond where the beta's intro mission ended. If you don't want any of that spoiled, turn back!

In "Destiny 2," you're facing a new foe named Ghaul. He's got a real Alexander the Great vibe about him. If you played the beta for "Destiny 2," you already met him at the end of the intro mission.

Ghaul isn't a particularly complex enemy — he wants to be the emperor of the stars. He's come to Earth to take control of "The Traveler" (the orb that usually floats above Earth in "Destiny"). And by the end of the introduction, he's well on his way to doing that.

You may recall him pushing your character's face with his boot at the end of the beta's intro mission.

Indeed, him. Soon after he knocks you out and sacks The Last City, you're left to pick up the pieces.

And this is where "Destiny 2" — thankfully — continues to demonstrate how different it is from its predecessor. Your first mission is to slink around the destroyed remnants of The Last City, clinging to life and completely unarmed.

This kind of story-setting, quiet moment was completely missing from the first "Destiny," and it's refreshing to see it front-and-center in "Destiny 2." You can see the outline of the rest of the game's plot stretching out before you, and that's tremendously meaningful considering how much of a mess the first game's structure was.

It sounds simple, but slowly walking through the ruins of The Last City is the kind of scene that lends gravity to the rest of the game. You see first hand how devastated the city is from the attack, how enemy troops are patrolling the ruins — it's a rare peek at the civilization you're supposedly fighting for in the "Destiny" franchise, and how it has just fallen.

You also get to experience how weak a "Guardian" is without the magical powers they're usually imbued with by The Traveler. No double jumps. No power weapons. No weapons at all, actually.

And yes, in case that wasn't clear — "Destiny 2" does the classic gaming trope of starting you with loads of powers and subsequently taking them away, forcing you to build yourself up once again. It's blessedly quick, and smartly handled. There are no moments you can't handle, even though you're unarmed.

It isn't until (in-game) days later when you find a camp of slaughtered Guardians that you get ammo for your pistol. 

Revenge is certainly on the cards.

Following a summer movie season that Hollywood wants to quickly forget, it looks as if the industry has a hit to kick off the fall.

"It," the latest adaptation of the classic Stephen King novel, is an extremely entertaining studio horror movie that will make you laugh as much as jump in fear.

That's the big takeaway from a movie that had some big shoes to fill, as it goes up against a previous adaptation, the 1990 two-night ABC made-for-TV movie that haunted anyone who grew up during that time. Tim Curry's portrayal of the alien who often takes the form of a clown named Pennywise and for centuries had been murdering kids from the quiet town of Derry, Maine, was masterfully done.

So not looking to top something that was already great, director Andy Muschietti gave the new movie a new feel. (Muschietti came on the project after Cary Fukunaga left over creative differences, though Fukunaga still has a screenwriting credit.) This new version is set in the late 1980s (it's the 1960s in the book), and it makes the group of high-school losers who band together to take on Pennywise more edgy and foul-mouthed than the kids of the 1990 version.

That leads to a lot of F-bombs and funny one-liners, both done perfectly by child actor Finn Wolfhard (whom you know best as Mike Wheeler on the Netflix show "Stranger Things"). In fact, the entire kid cast does well. And though it's hard to top Curry's Pennywise, Bill Skarsgård gives a solid performance, helped out greatly by CGI to pull off the scares.

There's no question this "It" will bring nightmares to a new generation, and realizing it has a good thing, Warner Bros. is far from ending things. Unlike the 1990 version, this movie does not delve into the characters when they grow up and have to battle Pennywise again. That means a sequel is certainly on the way and will feature the characters all grown up.

So get ready for another round of scares, and in the immediate future, prepare for constant speculation on which adult actors will take on the roles.

"It" opens in theaters on Friday.

SEE ALSO: 18 movies coming out soon that are major Oscar contenders

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 6 of 'Game of Thrones'

In anticipation of the launch of "Destiny 2" this week, the folks at Bungie and Activision were kind enough to send us the Collector's Edition of the much-hyped game.

The "Destiny 2" Collector's Edition is the biggest, most expensive version of the game you can buy. The $250 box set includes the full game, two expansion packs that won't be available separately at launch, and a whole lot of other goodies that every "Destiny" fan will appreciate.

Take a look inside.

SEE ALSO: Attending Bungie's 'Destiny 2' event with my older brother was a precious memory I will never forget

The 'Destiny 2' Collector's Edition comes inside a massive box.

The box is actually bigger than the one the PlayStation 4 comes in.

Here's what the box looks like without its protective white cover.

The former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli has taken to eBay to sell the one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album he purchased for $2 million two years ago. 

Shkreli, who was convicted of securities fraud in August, bought the only existing copy of the Wu-Tang Clan's album "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" by placing the highest bid at an auction for it in Sept. 2015. 

According to Page Six, Shkreli listed the album on eBay with a starting price of $1 on Tuesday night. The bidding hit $55,000 and 100 offers within the first hour of its posting, and it currently sits at $95,100 and 175 bids. 

Shkreli debuted portions of the Wu-Tang album — which no one had previously heard — on a livestream the day after Donald Trump was elected president last year, partially fulfilling a promise to release the project if Trump won the election. 

Shkreli became a household name in 2015 when he infamously raised the price of a critical drug by 5,000%.

SEE ALSO: Martin Shkreli is buying websites associated with the names of journalists critical of him and customizing them with mocking messages

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 6 of 'Game of Thrones'

Apple is looking to make a big splash in scripted TV and movies, and it may enlist the help of a certain fictional secret agent to help it gain a foothold in Hollywood.

Apple is looking to bid on the film rights for the "James Bond" franchise, the Hollywood Reporter said on Wednesday.

The iPhone company is joining a long list of powerful suitors for the franchise including Amazon and Warner Bros, according to the report. But tech companies Amazon and Apple may be willing to outbid Hollywood powers like Warner Bros. 

"James Bond" may be worth anywhere between $2 billion and $5 billion, according to the report, and that's not including, say, the ownership needed to bring 007 to television. The negotiations are over distribution rights to a movie planned for release in 2019. 

British film production company Eon controls the rights to the series along with MGM. The last Bond movie, "Spectre," was distributed by Sony. Apple's negotiations are being led by recently hired executives Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, who used to work at Sony Pictures Television. 

The Hollywood Reporter has lots of additional details about the negotiations. 

SEE ALSO: Martin Shkreli has taken to eBay to sell the Wu-Tang Clan album he bought for $2 million

Join the conversation about this story »

If you want an example of how to build a brand today, there’s no better place to look than Burning Man, the festival that takes place annually in the heart of the Nevada dessert. Anyone involved with Burning Man would swear that it is completely devoid of ‘marketing,' and that is precisely what makes it brilliant marketing, circa 2017.

My first clue that these folks know what they are doing came at the entrance to the festival where a sign proclaimed the 10 principles of Burning Man .

The brand blueprint was right there for everyone to see, reading like a brand manifesto or well crafted brand strategy you'd see at any good brand agency.  Check box number one.

Everything that is done (or disallowed)  at Burning Man comes straight out of this list of ‘ brand ‘ principles, the most famous being ‘ leave no trace,' meaning no evidence at all that a city of 70,000 people were living here. They take this principle more seriously than any of the others, going so far as to monitor the cleanup effort of each campsite and impose penalties for those who are not strident enough.

There's even a Burning Man name for refuge inadvertently left on the premises, material out of place , or “Moop’  as Burners call it. This secret burner language is another crucial element that creates community, makes participants feel ‘ special' and binds these people to the brand —  no different than the way Starbucks has renamed medium sized coffee as ‘Grande ‘ and large as ‘venti.’  Language is a key pillar of culture.

Ok , so what is Burning Man, and what’s the attraction? In short, it's a vacation. Except, instead of just going to a different place, you are living in a different universe with different codes of behavior than you'd experience anywhere else. It's a break from your corporate job where you have to dress a certain way, and where people are too focused and busy to stop and chat, or too self interested to help you succeed .

At the Burn, everyone cares. Or at least they seem to for that one week per year. Whatever I have is yours too.

It's kinda like the Free Store in Haight Ashbury during the summer of love (1967) where you could take whatever you needed for free. Thirsty ? Here's a drink. Hungry? Grab some of our food. Or a piece of jewelry I made just for the burners.

I don't know what they are like during the other 51 weeks of the year, but at least for this one week, everyone seemed to be following the Burning Man list of core principles to the letter.

Of course, some sacrifices must be made in order to adhere to these principles. Here is a partial list: sleep is optional, quiet below 90 decibels at any time, day or night is strictly forbidden. Sex of any kind with anyone anywhere is fine, but warning for those who like to smoke afterwards, make sure you don't drop your cigarette butt in the playa.

And regarding music, it's pretty much all techno all the time. So lyrics are another feature that must apparently be sacrificed for the greater good.

Rituals are big too. Very big. A brand like Corona may (if they are lucky) have a single ritual like squeezing a lime into the bottle, but Burning Man has rituals galore.  First the costumes, which are a combination of Halloween and the village people.  And for quite a few, the ‘costume ‘ is well , how do I say this, the outfit you were born in (which no one other than me appeared to notice). 

Another ritual is hugs. It's a part of the burner spirit of giving. How many hugs? Just imagine how many times a day you say please or thank you. At the Burn, every one of those is a hugging moment.

This utopian contrast to the real world inspires many to rethink their lives at home. I met one woman who literally quit her job this week by mailing her boss a Burning Man postcard; I'm sure that's a first. Then there are the famous art cars.

Incredibly elaborate vehicles that range from 70 foot yachts with wheels to portable dance clubs holding 50-100 people. Then there is the dust.  It's inescapable, so the sooner you stop fighting it the better. I got here in the evening, and the next day when I woke up, I couldn't find my black shoes.

That's because they were so dusty they looked like white shoes and I didn't recognize them. When you enter the confines of the event, first-timers are made to lie down in the ever-present dust to begin the process of submission.  It's supposed to be a part of the experience, but I don't think anyone is missing the dust when they get home. After a couple days, I stopped noticing  it, but never got to the point of enjoying it like real burners are supposed to. 

What is the pure commercial appeal to attendees ? Basically, it's the old hippie formula from the 1960 of higher purpose plus lots of sex, drugs and music (all techno all the time). You know the famous photos of Woodstock on the days it rained ? Just replace mud with dust and you got it.

The pinnacle of all rituals of course is the Burning Man himself. Meant to symbolize the importance of living in the moment (visual symbolism and iconography is another cornerstone of great branding) and appreciating what you have because ‘nothing is permanent.'

The Man is a huge, elaborate wooden sculpture that could be its own one piece exhibit back in the real world.  All the art cars and most of the people gather round for the ceremony.

The scale is incredible. Imagine 100 foot high flames fireworks, music, fire dancers, a ring of 100 or more art cars, and 70,000 people. If the Mayans could have pulled off this kind of experience  , they wouldn't have bothered with mere human sacrifice.

What would any brand be today with a content strategy?

Not to be left out, Burning Man offers a full schedule of 'educational' seminars during the day (when most burners are sleeping or trying to find someplace to rest out of the 100 degree heat). A typical day’s curriculum would go something like this: sex, drugs, sex and drugs, fashion, sex, sex and fashion, spirituality, sex, sexual spirituality, repeat.

Logistically, the festival is divided into camps ranging from 20 people to over 100. Some have themes. Some sponsor art cars that give them a tribal identity and prestige (translation: more sex ).

Some are known for their food (which of course is open to everyone), or their own little piece of Burning Man lore. 

This system of breaking down into smaller tribes increases the stickiness of the community to the brand the way military veterans relate deeply to their branch of service and even individual unit. In marketing, its called basic segmentation.

Perhaps the most powerful achievement of Burning Man is the commitment that these burners make to the festival.  The cost and effort to create and deconstruct an entire city is mindblowing. The recruitment and customer journey to Burning Man super fan is totally organic.

It shows you can't buy love. People buy into the higher purpose, and that's the backbone of the community. It's Harley Davidson on acid. Most Brands could learn a lot about earned media, loyalty, and community building from Burning Man.

Interestingly, my hosts this week were the founders of a new floating community: itsafloat.com.

The idea is to refit mid sized cruise ships and sell berths like condos, then to sail continuously around the world exploring different cultures and experiences. They intend to use much of the lessons of Burning Man as a template.

The ships will sail slowly around the globe using less fuel than traditional ships. They will offer members continuous learning and exploration, participation in local cultures rather than just observing .

Rather than a passive tourist, the members will become ‘global citizens' open to new cultures, and taking some responsibility to help protect these cultures through institutionalized donations of time and money. These are the seeds of the principles, rituals, language, and tribes that will be developed.  They could do worse than using Burning Man as their inspiration.

The key lesson from Burning Man is that the best kind of marketing today is the kind that is used to build religions, nations, cultural movements, and communities. The kind that is for most of us completely unrecognizable as marketing.

Jon Bond is the co-chairman and Chief Tomorroist at The Shipyard, a digital marketing firm based on Columbus, Ohio. Bond previously served as CEO of the social ad firm Big Fuel and helped found the ad agency Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's the best way to watch the solar eclipse if you don't have special glasses

Warning: Huge spoilers for "Game of Thrones" season seven. If you aren't caught up on the series or the season, read at your own risk. 

Season seven of "Game of Thrones" was action-packed and exciting. But it was also frustrating given the introduction of new travel speeds, and a really convoluted plot with the Stark sisters in Winterfell.  

So much happened this season, and Jon Snow traveled so much (and so quickly), that it's a little hard to remember some of the biggest moments from the earlier episodes.

We collected the best of the bunch, including dragon battles, shocking deaths, poop scooping, the cure of an incurable disease, and some partial nudity.

Here's our recap of "Game of Thrones" season 7:

SEE ALSO: 7 things you can expect from the 8th and final season of 'Game of Thrones'

Episode 1: "Dragonstone"

Winter comes for House Frey.

Arya poisons the Freys! Basically all of them, except the women.

At first, it seems like Walder Frey's speech is a flashback of the Red Wedding, or something similar. But as Frey continues talking about how he was responsible for brutally murdering the Starks, it gets more obvious what is happening. Especially when Arya (as Walder Frey) says, "leave one wolf alive and the sheep are never safe."

Ed Sheeran!

Netflix released the first trailer for Dee Rees' dark new film "Mudbound" on Wednesday.

"Mudbound," starring Oscar-winner Carey Mulligan, follows the lives of two families (one white, one black) struggling in the impoverished Mississippi Delta post-WWII. 

After being sold to Netflix for $12.5 million at Sundance, "Mudbound" has received a lot of Oscar buzz. Netflix is going to be pushing a big Oscar campaign for the film, and should "Mudbound" receive any nominations this will be the first time that Netflix gets one for a narrative film (versus a documentary).

Additionally, if Rees gets a nod for best director she would be the first black woman to ever receive the nomination.

The trailer for "Mudbound" brings audiences right into the thick of the Jim Crow era, featuring the Klu Klux Klan, segregated buses, and the overwhelming racial tensions of the period. The trailer also gives a little insight into the lives of two men suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in WWII.

From the trailer this appears to be a dark, gritty, and suspenseful film. The film will be released on Netflix, and in select theaters November 17.

You can watch the trailer for "Mudbound" here:

SEE ALSO: 18 movies coming out soon that are major Oscar contenders

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on the season 7 finale of 'Game of Thrones'

The man in charge of all things Pokémon says he specifically warned Nintendo about its latest console, the outrageously popular Nintendo Switch. He thought it was going to be a failure.

"I told Nintendo that Switch wouldn't be a success before it went on sale, because I thought that in the age of the smartphone no one would carry around a game console," Tsunekazu Ishihara, CEO of The Pokémon Company told Bloomberg in a recent interview. "It's obvious I was wrong."

Though wrong in the long-term, Ishihara held a view that many did before Nintendo's Switch launched back in March. How could Nintendo compete with free smartphone games? Who would buy a $300 portable game console when there's already a supercomputer in your pocket with a super high-definition screen?

That logic aside, Nintendo demonstrated a long-held truth in the video game business: Great games sell hardware.

The $300 Switch console has been in high-demand since it came out. Games like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe," and "Splatoon 2" are a big part of the reason for that. There are other good reasons, like the Switch itself being a sleek, modern console. 

But the number one reason is software, and Ishihara sees this now. "Software with absolute quality leads sales of hardware. Playing style can be flexible if the software is attractive enough," he told Bloomberg.

Even now, while he now says he sees potential in Switch, he remains cautious. "Currently, [Switch is] popular among the early adopters, but there needs to be one more step to attract a wider audience. I see much potential in Switch, but one shouldn't overestimate its potential." 

The outrageously popular Pokémon video game series (and show, and movies, etc.) is most often associated with Nintendo — outside of "Pokémon Go," all Pokémon games have appeared exclusively on Nintendo game consoles. 

But Pokémon isn't made or even owned by Nintendo. The company that owns and operates the franchise is actually named "The Pokémon Company." It's a joint venture between Nintendo, Game Freak (a game developer which makes most of the Pokémon games) and Creatures (a game developer which makes some of the Pokémon games). Ishihara in the CEO of The Pokémon Company. 

SEE ALSO: What it was like to attend Pokémon Go's first real-world event that turned out to be a disaster

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We went to the 'Pokémon GO Fest' in Chicago that turned into a complete disaster — here's what it was like

Clickhole's political spoof "Patriothole" launched its first show on Wednesday skewering far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, the founder of InfoWars.

According to Clickhole, the digital series plans to be the "Internet's loudest source for the truth about leftist plots against legal president Donald Trump, the evil schemes of the Clinton Foundation, and the constant threat of bug-eyed pedophiles lurking behind every corner."

The shows will range from short clips to longer episodes.

In May, Clickhole launched Patriothole, a "loud light in the darkness," spoofing the patriotic memes, viral images, and conspiracy theories that circulate on social media, which occasionally bubble up into mainstream outlets like Fox News. 

Clickhole isn't the only comedy site spoofing far-right online media outlets.

Later this month, "The Opposition With Jordan Klepper" will premiere on Comedy Central, sending up "a know-nothing provocateur" promoting conspiracy theories from a fictional alternative media network.

Watch a clip:

SEE ALSO: 'Legal but tacky': Trump keeps using his Twitter account to promote pundits who support him on Fox News

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Putin says Trump is not his bride and claims Americans don't know the difference between Austria and Australia

• Snapchat's latest original is a fashion-based reality show which will feature two aspiring stylists competing against one another to craft the perfect look.
• The show will be hosted and judged by celebrity stylist Sophie Lopez, the stylist for actress Kate Hudson 
• "Nail The Look" is being produced by Thumb Candy Media, a newly formed digital division of television production company B17 Entertainment. 

As Snapchat looks to grow its stable of original series, it has set its sights on beauty and fashion content.

The platform's latest original will feature two aspiring stylists competing against one another to style the perfect look based on a given theme. The reality series will be hosted by celebrity stylist Sophie Lopez (the stylist for actress Kate Hudson among others), who will critique their final looks, offer tips on what styles to buy as well as how to wear them.

"Nail The Look" premieres on Snapchat Discover tomorrow on September 7, coinciding with the start of New York Fashion Week. The show will air every Thursday for the next eight weeks, with stylists putting together outfits based on a new theme every episode, from a job interview to an outdoor music festival.

The first episode will see two aspiring stylists attempt to come up with the perfect streetwear look for New York Fashion Week.

"Nail The Look" is being produced by Thumb Candy Media, a newly formed digital division of television production company B17 Entertainment. Thumb Candy is being led by B17 principals and veteran TV producers Rhett Bachner and Brien Meagher, who have served as producers for a variety of popular shows including ABC’s Emmy-nominated "Shark Tank" and AMC’s "The Pitch," among others.

“Snapchat understood the power of mobile from a programming perspective and was willing to take chances on a variety of content and formats,” Bachner told Business Insider. "We’re firm believers in the platform."

"As producers, we go where the eyeballs are," added Meagher. "And right now, all eyeballs are on Snapchat."

"Nail The Look" is Snap's latest bid to become a destination for exclusive shows, with the company planning to have as many as three shows airing per day on Snapchat Discover by the end of the year. In recent months, Snap has announced deals with a number of leading TV networks and entertainment studios to develop and produce shows exclusively for Snapchat.

Snapchat’s efforts seem to be striking a chord. Shows have an especially strong reach with younger users on average, with 75% of daily viewers between the ages of 13-24, according to the company. Further, originals are also seeing significant growth in viewership, the company said. NBC's "The Voice" on Snapchat, for example, has grown 45% in viewership in its second season.

While Snap hasn’t explicitly specified a bent toward nonfiction programming, news and reality TV genres seem to have been an ongoing focus for the company compared to scripted shows, at least for now. In addition to "Nail The Look," the platform also has a makeover show in the works, Business Insider has learned.

"It’s not a surprise that Snap is focusing on reality content, given the fact that its core audience has grown up with it," said Tom Buontempo, president at social agency Attention. "And there are inherent speed and cost efficiencies compared to scripted content."

Further, reality and unscripted content just makes business sense, since it often revolves around news and current events, which are inherently “social” by design, he added.

"It encourages frequent tuning in," said Buontempo. "You can also see the opportunities to build packages around cultural moments and marry it with live programming, while capturing the earmarked ad revenue along the way."

Thumb Candy is one of the first independent production companies tapped by Snap to produce original Shows Discover. B17 and partner Core Media Group are working to develop and produce additional shows for Snap’s mobile-first audience, and have assembled a staff of 12 video and graphic artists as well purchased equipment specifically to support, record and edit vertical video.

“It’s an unlearning process from how you approach traditional TV production, you really have to rethink your practices for mobile,” said Bachner. “The mobile viewer is looking for storytelling that is less filtered and less produced, but from a photography or graphic standpoint, we still need to push stylistic boundaries.”

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A top financial adviser says the notion of retirement is gone — here's what he thinks people will do instead

If there's one thing we can say about the Disney era of “Star Wars” movies, everything is amplified.

Whether it's pictures tweeted out from the set by a director or news of reshoots, the media (especially us here at Business Insider) rush to write it up. A big reason for that is because the current fandom for “Star Wars” is beyond anything the franchise has ever experienced before, and it seems everyone can’t get enough information, whether it's rumors or facts.

The big difference in today’s “Star Wars” versus when George Lucas made the original trilogy is that there are ten times more outlets writing about it, and thanks to social media, the access to them is instantaneous. Just imagine how social media would have reacted about Ewoks back then!

So of course a director being fired from a “Star Wars” movie is going to be a really big deal.

In today’s Hollywood, being chosen to take on the saga is like getting the industry’s golden ticket. You basically are going to have free reign from then on to work on any project you want — especially if the movie is a hit.

Getting fired (or stepping down over creative differences) from one of the movies doesn’t look good because it gives the impression that you couldn’t swing it, even if the director genuinely just couldn’t mesh with those overseeing the franchise.

The list of directors who have left “Star Wars” projects (that we know of) is small but shows that even a money-making Goliath like Lucasfilm has drama behind the scenes.

Josh Trank left a planned Boba Fett standalone movie in 2015 (he said because he just needed a break from the fans), this summer Chris Mill and Phil Lord left the Han Solo standalone movie with only a month left in production (it was later reported that they were fired by Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy), and on Tuesday Lucasfilm announced it had “mutually chosen to part ways” with Colin Trevorrow, its first choice to direct "Star Wars: Episode IX."

All of these exits are likely for different reasons, but what they all have in common is that events led to the people who control the current vision of “Star Wars” — Kathleen Kennedy, franchise longtime screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, among others — losing trust in the directors.

For most movies, when the director and producer (especially when the producer has all the power, whether it be rights to the project for the money) can’t get along, bad things happen. But “Star Wars” has the unique advantage of having incredible resources that it can rebound.

A Boba Fett movie will likely be back on its feet with a new director. Ron Howard is hard at work finishing off the Han Solo movie with no plans of a release date change. And “Episode IX” (which is still in script stage) will soon be taken over by someone else.

And even when the “Star Wars” powers-that-be aren’t into what a director did, they bring in someone to get it right, as was the case with director Gareth Edwards on “Rogue One.” He wasn’t fired, but Lucasfilm brought on Tony Gilroy to direct the reshoots on “Rogue One.”

If there’s one thing we might see change from Lucasfilm in its director choices, it’s the experience level. “Star Wars,” like many franchises, have nabbed young directors who have either made an impressive first movie within the studio system or an ambitious indie film. With Howard coming on to direct the Han Solo movie and veteran English director Stephen Daldry (“Billy Elliot”) reportedly in early work on a standalone Obi-Wan Kenobi movie, we might be seeing Kennedy’s new thinking on how to take on “Star Wars” movies going forward.

The reason why “Star Was” fans should not be concerned about the director drama is that, at this point, it has not affected our enjoyment or, more importantly for Lucasfilm and Disney, the box office performance of the movies.

If the day comes when Kennedy can’t put a band-aid on a problem, that's when everyone will panic. But with a line around the corner of capable directors, young and old, who want to work on these movies, it’s hard not to come up with the right formula by picture lock.

SEE ALSO: "It" is a unique horror movie that's as funny as it is scary, and it looks like fall's first hit

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A popular 'Game of Thrones' fan theory says Bran is the Night King — here's why

There's a lot to say about the long-awaited "Destiny 2," which launches on Wednesday on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

But first, before we say anything else, let's just marvel at how pretty it is.

Since I started playing "Destiny 2" on Tuesday, I've been repeatedly struck by how gorgeous it is. Beyond the sweeping vistas that impressed in the first game, there are tons of little details in the world of "Destiny 2" that make it feel alive.

It's got a real sense of style that comes across in everything from quiet moments like the one above to massive firefights with dozens of enemies. 

Even the new armor looks fresh, and reflects the state of the in-game world:

I've been taking screenshots constantly while playing "Destiny 2" on PlayStation 4 — here are some of the coolest things I've seen.

SEE ALSO: After 5 hours with 'Destiny 2,' the most-anticipated game of 2017, I'm anxious to play more

From the first moment of action in "Destiny 2," the game is a looker. It's a gruesome picture in the wake of an alien attack — the impetus for your journey of rebuilding and revenge — but a pretty one nonetheless.

From some of the earliest scenes, "Destiny 2" plays with contrasting colors to highlight important moments. This one, for instance, where you first meet a returning character is particularly impactful.

There's also an excellent use of shadows for dramatic impact. In this scene, you're running past the citizens of The Last City — the city that's currently under attack — and they're huddled together in fear.

Taylor Swift's divisive new single "Look What You Made Me Do" made YouTube's list of the most-played songs on its site this summer, despite being released at the tail end of August.   

YouTube released its global and US "songs of the summer" lists on Wednesday, and Swift's single — which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 last week and broke several streaming records— just managed to make the US chart. 

Both lists tracked views across the site "between Memorial Day 2017 and Labor Day 2017," according to YouTube.

Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito" topped both charts, continuing its domination of all prominent, data-driven summer music lists. 

Check out the 20 most-played songs on YouTube in the US this summer and find the full lists below:

SEE ALSO: The 5 best new songs you can stream from last week — including Frank Ocean, U2, and more

20. Taylor Swift — "Look What You Made Me Do"

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/3tmd-ClpJxA
Width: 800px
Height: 410px

19. Childish Gambino — "Redbone"

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/Kp7eSUU9oy8
Width: 800px
Height: 410px

18. Imagine Dragons — "Believer"

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/7wtfhZwyrcc
Width: 800px
Height: 410px

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
2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> BUY THE REPORT

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A popular 'Game of Thrones' fan theory says Bran is the Night King — here's why

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said that running for president is a "real possibility." In May, a Public Policy Polling poll looking at a hypothetical election had Johnson at 42% support over Trump's 37%.

We talked to someone who knows the former wrestler better than many: Chris Jericho. The WWE legend and lead singer of the heavy metal band Fozzy is on the road promoting his new book "No Is a Four Letter Word: How I Failed Spelling But Succeeded in Life." Jericho stopped by Business Insider and we asked him if he thinks his former ring rival has a real shot at winning the White House. Following is a full transcript of the video.

Everything the guy does turns to gold 'cause he's got the work ethic to make it happen. I think The Rock, if you look at how he's built his career, much like Schwarzenegger when he became the Governor of California. When you work to a certain level, how much bigger can you get? How much more can you do?

We’ve entered an era now, having Trump in the office, whether you agree or don’t agree, he got in because of his celebrity. That’s exactly why. He knew how to play a camera. He knew how to

deliver lines. He knew how to be charismatic enough to get people on his side, and that’s what politics is. You know, even Obama. As long as you have some money behind you and can deliver lines charismatically, I think Rocky has a chance to really get in there and take over if he wants to do it.

We've seen that a celebrity can basically come in and make it just on their name and charisma alone. which is kind of scary to me.

The Rock is great. He's one of my favorite rivals. One of the best guys I've been in the ring with for chemistry. When he was in the business and the top guy on the microphone, I don't think too many people could touch him, but I could.

I'll be the Vice President! I am gonna be the first undisputed Prime President of North America. I am gonna be the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of America at the same time, and it's called the Prime President. Prime President Jericho.

Join the conversation about this story »

Cole Haan is ditching the traditional fashion advertising playbook.

The premium fashion brand’s latest campaign is a departure from typical fashion ad campaigns, with its ads living not on glossy magazine pages but on podcasts, native ads and digital streaming services instead.

"Extraordinary Women, Extraordinary Stories" centers around fashion models and mentor-mentee duo Christy Turlington Burns and Karlie Kloss. It focuses not just on their relationship with each other but also their passions beyond fashion that make them extraordinary, whether it is Burns’ Every Mother Counts initiative or Kloss’ Kode with Klossy program.

"At a time when more than a third of our sales come from online channels and half of those sales come from mobile, we had to rethink our strategy," David Maddocks, Cole Haan’s Chief Marketing Officer and General Manager of Business Development told Business Insider. "It was important for us to reach our consumers where they already are."

Much of this target demographic, specifically young, affluent females, practically live online, so it made sense for the brand to meet them there. That is why the bulk of the campaign’s media plan focuses on content integrations with newsletters and podcasts that the brand has deemed to have an empowerment-oriented tone and female cult-followings.

Cole Haan is partnering with Lena Dunham’s newsletter Lenny Letter, for example, for six pieces of custom native content. This will include stories such as "Launching A Start-Up When Your Co-Founder Is Your Best Friend" by Dunham and co-founder Jenni Konner as well as a story by Kloss and Burns on how to turn moments of vulnerability into moments of strength.

The brand is also venturing into podcast ads for the first time, with ads in podcasts including Two Dope Queens, Note-To-Self, Death Sex & Money and Nancy. It is also partnering with podcasting giant Gimlet Media, getting some of its top podcasters to promote the campaign, including Startup’s Lisa Chow, ELT’s Flora Lictman, The Nod’s Brittany Luse and Science Vs.’ Wendy Zukerman. Gimlet will also create a custom landing page which will link back to ColeHaan.com, and drive traffic to the landing page through paid social promotion.

In addition, the brand is running ads across its social properties as well as on live-streaming entertainment platforms such as Hulu and YouTube.

"We’ve been highly digitally oriented for the past few years, this is just the biggest amplification," said Maddocks.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's the best way to watch the solar eclipse if you don't have special glasses

There is an overwhelming amount of TV these days, and it's hard to decide what to watch. But FXX's "You're the Worst," which starts its fourth season on Wednesday, should be a priority

(The first three seasons are available on Hulu if you want to catch up.) 

Every season, the writers challenge their characters, the audience, and themselves, making one of the funniest, realest shows on television.

Business Insider recently spoke to Stephen Falk, the showrunner and creator of "You're the Worst," about the new season, how he balances humor with serious topics like depression and PTSD, and how he makes his show stand out so well in the large TV landscape. 

Note: this interview has been edited for clarity. 

Carrie Wittmer: In the season four premiere you have Jimmy (Chris Geere) disappearing to this weird, unexpected place that's a complete departure from the show's setting in L.A. But it felt true to his character and to the voice of the show. How did you come up with that in the writers' room?

Stephen Falk: I don't think we knew exactly last season when we wrote the finale when he ran out on her [Gretchen] exactly where he was going to go. We just knew he was going to go somewhere. So when we came back, because we as the writing staff and just as a show, as the voice of the show I guess, we follow through on things that we introduce at certain points. They're introduced for a reason. Nothing annoys me more as a viewer and a voracious viewer of television when a show kind of does something and then just drops it, because you can tell they just got disinterested in it. They just do what they think might be interesting for that episode and then will worry about it later and then they don't follow through. We want to make the audience feels like they're in good storytelling hands. So, we knew he [Jimmy] was going to go and run away. It just felt like a very Jimmy thing to not face this impulsive terrible act, and we thought, "What better place for Jimmy — who is already a curmudgeon — to hole up with other 70 year olds?" 

Wittmer: Gretchen's (Aya Cash) depression, and Edgar's (Desmin Borges) PTSD are both big storylines in the show. And Jimmy finds out his father died in season three. What research goes into understanding these sensitive topics? Are there any writers that have had these experiences, or do you reach out to experts?

Falk: We have done all three. We’ve done a lot of personal research, we have a lot of personal experience in these subjects, and we have talked to official experts. And I think all of them are useful in very different ways. Just talking to people, whether in an official capacity or not, like someone who works in mental health who deals with depression, or just talking to regular people who've been through it. I run a storytelling show, and someone told a story about depression. I said, "Hey, can I talk to you about it?" And just hearing some of his personal experiences can be incredibly enlightening, and can actually feed the work really well, because at the end of the day we're not trying to write the definitive portrayal of anything. We're trying to write specific, honest, and accurate for these characters.

Wittmer: You’re definitely doing a good job with that — being specific to these characters.  

Falk: Yeah. We end up with a lot of print outs all over the table, a lot of books spread out, talking about our own stuff. And then we just get people on the phone, or we have people come in and talk to us. And then all of that really gets pureed down into something that we can filter through the specific lens and voice of the character. The specific storytelling needs that we have, it's all well and good that we talked to someone who suffered from depression and couldn't get out of bed for three months, but we can't show that. It's learning everything you can, and writing the truth of the character as you created them, through what you've learned.

Wittmer: The issues you cover are so personal and serious, but the show is still so funny. Do you ever struggle with getting the humor in, or does that come naturally?

Falk: I think it comes naturally. Whether it's a challenge or a deficiency, I don't know. I don’t really have the ability to write things that are too straight, that are too serious. And there's probably no surprise that I have a hard time in life not finding humor in things, and inappropriately sometimes . . . often. It's both an internal calibration for the tone you want for the specific show you're doing, and just my inherent inability to be too serious. And my true belief that there is comedy in everything. That comedy always exists, even alongside the most tragic of things. I've said, and other people have too, there's laughter in every hospital room, and there's tears backstage at every comedy club.

Wittmer: True. I’ve definitely seen tears at comedy clubs.

Falk: It's all just the grand belief that’s how humans relate to each other and get through life. So I've definitely worried about the show still being funny, and our network has worried. But once we set off to do the depression storyline in season two, we pretty much learned how to do it, to where FX kind of trusts us to get it right and knows the tone of the show.

Wittmer: All of the characters are very flawed, but so lovable. Is that something you've worked to do, or is that something that just happened?

Falk: I mean, I think it just kind of happened. If you look at the pilot, I wrote the characters how they are. They're narcissistic dicks. And they're the kind of people I liked watching on British sitcoms, or as a fifth player in an ensemble, but not really the central figure. And obviously there's a lot of landmines when you do something like that. You really have to cast it right or no matter how much you try to lure them back, they're just going to be unlikable because the actor isn't inherently likable. So I had to make sure I cast people that were inherently likable. And then more than that, just be careful not to write the character's behavior in ways that it is apparent that I as a creator think it's awesome and cool. That’s been stepped on before, where writers are just like, "Yeah my character is a f---ing badass and they don't give a shit!"

Wittmer: Yes . . . that’s been the hot new thing for a while now. Would you hang out with Jimmy or Gretchen?

Falk: I would find almost everything that Jimmy and Gretchen do in real life something that would disqualify someone as being my friend. I would not stand for anyone I know or anyone I hang out with to eat a loud Chinese meal and talk loudly in a movie theater. I would say, "Okay, well I'm never spending any time with you," and walk away and go see something else. And that's the most minor thing that they do. I think it's a balancing act. If you're writing from the truth of the character, and you're writing their bad behavior for a specific purpose I think you can get away with it.

Wittmer: Do you ever feel pressure to make "You're the Worst" stand out amongst the vast amounts of television out there?

Falk: Just the sheer enormity of the number of shows and shows that have similar tones that have come along after ours, or just certain LA couple shows, they bum me out. They do make for a more crowded marketplace, but also just seem to make our show a little less unique, just by existing. I wish we were literally the only game in town, but we're not. It's a double-edged sword though. We can seem like just one of the other shows, or we can stand out. It also bums me out when I see things and I'm like "God d--n it, that's so f---ing good." I do that as much as when I think "God damn that f---ing sucks, and it's getting all this attention." That's maddening too. TV can be rough.

Wittmer: Diversity in television is important and your show’s been doing it well and naturally. You had these elderly characters in the season premiere, and Samira Wiley was Gretchen’s therapist in season three. Do you consider diversity when writing for the show?

Falk: Yeah, we sort of do. If I have any main political flag in the show it was along gender lines and trying to have an even split in my writers' room. I wanted to write really strong female characters who have agency, and have appetites and are not ashamed of them. You could point to a more diverse show and then say, “Okay but why are there no disabled characters?” And then you could find a show with disabled characters and say, “Well why are there no transgender characters?” That can be an endless hole you could fall into, and you can't please everyone and fight all fights. I'm a lefty from Berkeley. It's important to me to cast as colorblind as possible. And it frustrates me often that I can't do it more. I watch theater, and I love when you see a cast where a mother and son are of different races, just cause who gives a f--k? It's all a suspension of disbelief because we're sitting in the f---in' theater anyway, and we know they're not real people. Or even "Louie." Casting white kids as his daughters and a black mother, not worrying about the obvious genetic dissonance there. I think that's f---ing great and I have those aims, and I hope to be able to do it as much in the future as possible.

Wittmer: I wanted to ask about the bits that Edgar had hanging on the wall. He had “1920s Seinfeld," and "Guido baby" among others.  You also have Jimmy’s heckles, and the chore list on the fridge in season three that ultimately led to Gretchen finding out about Jimmy's dad. How many of those jokes do you write?

Falk: Oh god, we have endless bits. As a show in general, I am always aware of the TiVo pausers out there and I'm probably one of the more annoying showrunners to my production design department because they're always like, “No one's gonna f---ing see that” and I'm like, “yeah well someone might.”

Wittmer: I see it. I might be the only one, but I see them.

Falk: I celebrate that, and we're always writing for that. I'm always giving notes. We like to populate lists and stuff with jokes. You know, if there's going to be a list and we have a lot. We have a lot of Jimmy's lists of heckles and if we're going to do that, we're going to work on them in the writers' room. I'm also the one who is going to the prop department going, “Well why is Gretchen's phone at 95%? Gretchen's phone is never at 95%." Her phone is always running out, because she's not a together person who ever thinks ahead. I find it daunting and incredible. It makes me happy to know that you're looking at these things.

SEE ALSO: How this 'Broad City' star went from comedy to playing the King Joffrey of Netflix's 'Narcos'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 5 of 'Game of Thrones'

Spotify and Hulu have announced a new streaming bundle that will allow college students to use both of their premium services for $4.99 per month. 

"Spotify Premium for Students, with Hulu," as the companies have labeled the deal, adds Hulu's limited commercials plan to Spotify's existing $4.99-a-month premium streaming deal for college students.

Any student who is already subscribed to Spotify's premium deal will now have access to Hulu's service, which includes the back catalogs of shows like "Seinfeld" and "South Park," as well as acclaimed Hulu original shows like "The Handmaid's Tale."

The new deal marks the first TV-and-movie partnership for Spotify, which confirmed the hiring of Disney executive Courtney Holt to run its original video and podcast programming Wednesday. And the student bundle is just the "first step," according to Spotify, which said the companies will soon target the broader market with a similar bundle deal.

The new bundle

Recently, cross-media bundle deals between prominent companies have become common in the entertainment industry, as media giants contemplate the future of the traditional cable bundle. 

T-Mobile announced Wednesday that it would be giving away free Netflix service to its family-plan customers, and AT&T bundled access to HBO programming with its "Unlimited Plus" wireless plan in April. (AT&T is in the process of buying HBO parent company, Time Warner.)

Amazon Prime, which in itself bundles together package shipping, music streaming, premium TV shows, and the use of many other services, also allows its customers to purchase subscriptions to video services like Showtime and Starz through a discounted bundle.

SEE ALSO: 'Despacito' was the song of the summer, according to Spotify — here are the others that were close

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 5 of 'Game of Thrones'