200m+: YouTube views on a 90-second trailer for “Grand Theft Auto VI,” due in 2025. For context on how much of a behemoth video games are among the entertainment industry: A popular trailer for Barbie, 2023’s biggest blockbuster, racked up a mere 85m views. Here’s another: In 2023 alone, Americans spent $57B+ on video games, or $6.43 for every buck spent at the movie theater.
634.78%: Estimated ROI on 10 Cloverfield Lane, the 2016 sequel to 2008’s Cloverfield. Why are we talking about old movies? Well, VegasInsider analyzed 70+ horror franchises to find the best-performing sequels, factoring in revenue and critical response, and 10 Cloverfield Lane tied for first with Evil Dead II. This report comes amid a year of sequels and prequels, including The First Omen, MaXXXine, and Alien: Romulus. Speaking of Alien: If only revenue was considered, the top spot would have gone to Prometheus (2012), the fifth Alien film, and its $403m gross.
$24B: Funding that went to AI startups in Q2, representing 30% of the $79B in total global startup funding, per Crunchbase. Of the quarter’s six billion-dollar funding rounds, five pertained to AI companies, including Elon Musk’s xAI, biotech company Xaira Therapeutics, and automated driving company Wayve. The sole non-AI company was Wiz, the cybersecurity company Google is looking to acquire for $23B.
150: Servings of freeze-dried food in one Readywise Emergency Food Supply bucket, available for ~$80 at Costco. Granted, that’s only one month of rations, which may not last depending on what kind of apocalypse you’re anticipating. “The Walking Dead” alone has shown us a zombie apocalypse can last for 11 seasons and multiple spinoffs. Those of you in it for the long haul may prefer a pallet of 36 buckets — that’s 5.4k servings — available for $2.5k. Each bucket has a shelf life of 25 years.
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