Author: Habiba Tahir

  • Venom Joins the Rank of 2018’s Top Earning Movies

    Venom Joins the Rank of 2018’s Top Earning Movies

    Sony owns 900 Marvel characters and has produced several Spider-Man movies in the past. Since these movies weren’t successful enough to compete with Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Sony decided to put all their effort into Venom.

    Venom Beats Deadpool 2 at the Box Office

    The movie cast Academy Award nominee Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, Emmy Award winner Riz Ahmed as Carlton Drake, and Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams as Anne Weying. Meanwhile, fans wondered whether the story would do justice to Venom, who is famously known as Spider-Man’s super villain, without Spider-Man making an appearance in the movie. Others simply didn’t trust Sony to make a successful superhero movie, especially after the disappointing portrayal of Eddie Brock as Venom in Spider-Man 3.

    To everyone’s surprise, Venom earned a whopping $80 million in its opening weekend. Despite receiving negative reviews from critics, it grossed $822.5 million worldwide. The movie’s global earnings surpassed Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Deadpool 2, and Ready Player One. It has now joined the ranks of the top 5 highest grossing movies of 2018.

    Venom has also crossed Wonder Woman and Spider-Man in worldwide earnings, with only $5.8 million left to top Inception.

    What Happens to Spider-Man After Venom’s Success?

    Sony purchased Spider-Man from Marvel in 1985 for $10 million. Approximately 20 years ago, Marvel also tried to sell some of its other characters including Thor, Iron Man, and Black Panther for $25 million. Luckily, the deal never happened otherwise Marvel wouldn’t have been able to break box office records with Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther.

    In 2015, Sony and Marvel finalized a deal which allowed Spider-Man to appear in the MCU in six movies. Now that Venom has been immensely successful at the box office, Sony will continue to make more Marvel movies under its name Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters (SUMC). The studio is also planning on releasing Morbius and Venom 2 in 2020, with Jared Leto joining the universe as the lead character in the former.

    Even though Spider-Man: Homecoming earned $880.2 million worldwide, Sony might bring the superhero into SUMC. Or it might end up renewing the contract with Marvel and allow the superhero to appear in both universes. Sony’s executives have previously said that Venom’s story doesn’t take place in the same universe as the MCU. Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Homecoming director, has also pointed out that the movie is ‘not connected to the Marvel world’.

    Until now, only one thing is clear: Spider-Man is the superhero who is responsible for connecting these two universes.

  • Taylor Swift Announces 200 Million Dollar Deal with Republic Records

    Taylor Swift Announces 200 Million Dollar Deal with Republic Records

    Taylor Swift has joined record label Universal Music Group’s (UMG) subsidiary Republic Records after her 12-year contract with Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) ended in November 2018. According to Forbes, anonymous sources have claimed that the deal might be worth $200 million.

    Since Swift had to renew or cancel her contract, some people were expecting that the singer would stay with the Nashville-based record label. Scott Kingsley Swift, financial advisor and Senior VP at Merrill Lynch and Swift’s father, also owns 3% stake in the company.

    However, in an Instagram post published yesterday, Swift wrote that she was ‘ecstatic’ to share the news with her fans. She was pictured alongside UMG’s CEO and Chairman, Sir Lucian Grainge, and Republic Records’ founder and CEO, Monte Lipman.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BqXgDJBlz7d/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Swift is not a stranger to UMG, her records have been distributed by BMLG through the former company. But under the new partnership, she will finally own the rights to her master recordings.

    How Did UMG get Taylor Swift to Sign the Contract?

    Swift has amassed a $320 million net worth and earned the second spot at Forbes’ highest-earning female music singers of 2018. She has also publicly spoken against streaming services that refuse to pay artists properly.

    In 2015, Swift wrote an open letter to Apple for not paying royalties to artists when users activated their free trial period. She said she was disappointed because this would negatively impact the earnings of new artists. Following her remarks, Apple Music agreed to change their royalty distribution policy. Later, she announced that her album 1989 would be available on the streaming service.

    Swift was, however, less enthusiastic about Spotify. She initially called it an ‘experiment’ and said that artists weren’t paid for their time fairly. It turns out that UMG and Swift were able to agree on one particular point: UMG’s Spotify shares would ‘result in a distribution of money to their artist, non-recoupable’.

    Swift said that this will help the music industry and that she will always speak up for artists, producers, and writers. She also thanked BMLG’s Scott Borchetta for signing her when she was 14 years old.

    Swift is considerably active on Tumblr and often hides messages and clues in her social media posts as well as her music videos. Based on her Instagram post, where she teased fans with the words ‘B, I, O, I, E’, her fans have concluded that the singer is working on her new album. In Scramble, these words add up to a total of seven points — her next album will be her ‘seventh’ album.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • 14 of the Most Extravagant Gifts Given by Rich People in the Last Two Decades

    14 of the Most Extravagant Gifts Given by Rich People in the Last Two Decades

    Rich people have lavish lifestyles and eccentric hobbies. They also make extraordinary purchases when it comes to the art of gifting. Some of them like to spend their money on themselves while others prefer to spend it on their friends and family.

    While the Taj Mahal, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, remains one of the most admired gifts in the world, rich people in the last two decades have tried to surpass it by splurging on luxurious yachts and private jets.

    It’s safe to assume that these people weren’t shopping on a budget because some of these presents are extremely impressive.

    The Most Extravagant Gifts Given by Rich People

    1. Art Collection Worth Over $1.5 Billion

    Russian-Israeli businessman Roman Abramovich has a net worth of $11.5 billion. After getting married to art collector Dasha Zhukova in 2008, he began showering her with gifts worth more than $1.5 billion.

    Abramovich gifted her a $14 million Alberto Giacometti sculpture, paintings from artists Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud worth a total of $119 million, and 40 paintings from Russian-American artist Ilya Kabakov for $30 million to $60 million each.

    2. The $1 Billion Wedding

    Via: Daily Mail

    Russian entrepreneur Mikhail Gutseriev reportedly spent $1 billion on the wedding of his son, Said Gutseriev, in 2016. The wedding included performances from singers such as Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, and Sting.

    The tycoon (worth $4.2 billion) paid Lopez around $1 million to sing some of her famous songs at the party. The bride’s dress, designed by acclaimed fashion designer Elie Saab, is rumored to have cost around $1 million, whereas her tiara was bought for almost $5.71 million.

    3. An $84 Million Yacht

    Via: Telly Update

    Anil Ambani is the youngest son of Indian business magnate Dhirubhai Ambani and has a net worth of $2.2 billion. He bought a luxury yacht Tian worth $84 million for his wife, Tina Ambani, in 2008.

    News websites called it sibling rivalry because Ambani bought this yacht a year after his brother, Mukesh Ambani, gifted a $60 million jet to his wife. Tian was built in Italy at a cost of €34 million ($38.83 million). It is 34 meters long and hosts six rooms, a dining room, and multiple cabins.

    4. A $60 Million Luxury Jet

    Via: The Bridal Box

    Mukesh Ambani is India’s richest man with a net worth of $44.2 billion. He also owns the world’s most expensive building, costing more than the Buckingham Palace, Antilia valued at $1 billion.

    In 2007, Ambani gifted a luxury jet worth $60 million to his wife, Nita Ambani. It has a master bedroom, an office, and a bar. His daughter, Isha Ambani, is set to get married in December 2018 in a lavish wedding. It is expected that he will shower her with lavish gifts — tabloids have already reported that her wedding invites are worth 30 crore INR ($41,791) each.

    5. A $40 Million Private Jet

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BcluoKenewP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Beyoncé Knowles, the famous singer who has won 22 Grammy awards, surprised her rapper husband, Jay-Z, with a $40 million private jet on Father’s Day in 2012.

    The Bombardier Challenger 850 airplane has a seating area with enough space for 16 people, a spacious living room with cream leather sofas, a five-star kitchen, a bedroom, and two bathrooms. The couple uses the jet for family trips as well as their world tours.

    6. $8 Million Bulgari Necklace

    Via: E! Online

    Football superstar David Beckham gifted his wife, Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice), an $8 million Bulgari necklace at Valentine’s Day in 2006.

    The necklace is made up of rubies and diamonds and is rumored to have been designed by Beckham. It is just another addition to her jewelry collection which already has 14 engagement rings. Some of these rings include a three-carat marquise-cut diamond ring worth $85,000 and a pink champagne colored diamond ring reportedly worth $1.1 million.

    7. A $5 Million Hublot Watch

    Via: Luxois

    On Jay-Z’s 43rd birthday, Beyoncé gave him a $5 million Hublot watch. With a net worth of $355 million, the singer knew she wanted the most expensive watch for her husband.

    It’s encrusted with 1,282 diamonds and was first shown at the 2012 world watch and jewelry show ‘BaselWorld’. Jay-Z has previously praised Hublot by using the brand’s name in one of his songs. He even collaborated with Hublot in 2013 to release the Shawn Carter collection.

    8. $2.2 Million Worth Gold Bathtub

    Via: Daily Mail

    Former boxer Mike Tyson gifted a $2.2 million 24-carat gold bathtub to his first wife, actress Robin Givens.

    This gift was a huge gesture of Tyson’s love for his wife, but it wasn’t enough to save their marriage. The couple got divorced in 1989. Tyson, who already owned 3 white Bengal tigers worth $70,000 each, went on to file for bankruptcy in 2003 when he was $23 million in debt.

    9. A $2 Million Sports Car

    Via: The Irish Times

    Before Beyoncé treated her husband with a private jet and a diamond-encrusted watch, she gave him a $2 million sports car on his birthday.

    The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport joined Jay-Z’s luxurious collection of cars in 2010. He also owns a Maybach Exelero, a Pagani Zonda F, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Ferrari F430 Spider, and a Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet. These cars are worth a total of $15 million.

    10. A Vineyard in Napa Valley

    14 engagement rings weren’t enough for David Beckham to declare his love for Victoria Beckham as the loving husband bought his wife a vineyard too.

    Located in Napa Valley, news websites claimed that the footballer may have spent a ‘seven-figure sum’ to buy this land. The news of the purchase broke out after the couple was photographed in the vineyard alongside celebrity friends Tom Cruise, Kate Beckinsale, Seal, and Katie Holmes.

    11. A $1.6 Million Helicopter

    Back when actors Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt were still married, she used to surprise him with the most creative gifts. In 2012, she bought a waterfall in California as well as a $1.6 million helicopter for her husband.

    Chateau Miraval, the couple’s house in France where they also hosted their wedding, already had a helipad. So, Jolie decided to give Pitt the helicopter along with some flying lessons.

    12. 14 $1 million Cheques for Friends

    Academy Award winner George Clooney is extremely thankful to 14 of his friends for helping him in the beginning of his career. In order to show his gratitude, he gave $1 million in cash to each one of these friends in separate suitcases in 2013.

    Clooney also paid their taxes so that they could take the entire amount. According to American entrepreneur Rande Gerber, the $1 million amount was gifted in $20 bills. According to E! Online, Gerber gave his share to a charity later.

    13. $1 Million Cash in a Louis Vuitton Suitcase

    Via: Daily Mail

    American rapper and Cash Money Records co-founder Birdman discovered Lil Wayne when he was nine years old. Even though the duo had some conflicts in the past, Birdman once gifted the rapper with $1 million in cash in a $2,140 Louis Vuitton suitcase.

    Birdman presented this amount to Lil Wayne on his money-themed birthday party in 2008. Party-goers reported that the latter was left speechless by this gesture.

    14. A $1 Million Cheque on Mother’s Day

    Rapper Kanye West gave his wife, reality TV star Kim Kardashian West, a $1 million cheque as well as shares in his company Adidas Yeezy on Mother’s Day.

    West sent over the gifts after his wife agreed not to post a sponsored picture of another brand for a million dollars. He also wrote her a thank you note in the envelope that contained the cheque. He has previously given her a $35,000 Cartier panther bracelet and a $1 million Lorraine Schwartz diamond choker.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Facebook’s Management Team Ordered to Abandon Their iPhones

    Facebook’s Management Team Ordered to Abandon Their iPhones

    Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder, and CEO of Facebook has allegedly asked his executive team to use Android phones instead of iPhones.

    The New York Times reported that it all began when Apple’s CEO Tim Cook spoke about the privacy concerns surrounding Facebook in an MSNBC interview. He said that personal details of people can be used by advertisers and shouldn’t exist online. Apple, he added, considered privacy a ‘human right’ unlike applications (like Facebook) that violate privacy policies.

    Last year, Facebook made $39.9 billion in advertising revenue. The company offers targeted advertising which helps advertisers display customized ads to a specific group of people.

    If someone searches for something on Google, he/she will see ads related to the topic on social media websites. According to the statement made by Cook in March 2018, these tracking techniques are ‘creepy’.

    Cook was also asked what he would have done in Zuckerberg’s position in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, to which he replied that he “wouldn’t be in this situation.”

    The Majority in the US Prefer Androids Over iPhones

    Zuckerberg was offended by these remarks and ordered his management team to stop using iPhones. Earlier in 2018, Statista reported that 54.5% of the U.S. population used Android’s operating system. Thus, he told his employees that Android had far more users than Apple.

    However, Business Insider also published a survey that showed that 80% of US teenagers preferred iPhones. We’ll have to wait until next year to see whether this figure will tilt the balance in favor of Apple.

    9 Executives Bid Goodbye to Facebook

    2018 was a rough year for Facebook–as soon as news of the data scandal broke on the internet in March 2018, the company faced criticism from all over the world.

    Since then, Zuckerberg has appeared in front of the US Congress and the EU Parliament. He is also set to answer questions raised by the UK and Canadian governments.

    In the meantime, some notable names from the executive team quit their jobs. WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum left the company one month after the data scandal was published.

    Elliot Schrage, Communications and Public Policy’s Head, and Colin Stretch, General Counsel, announced their exit in June and July. They were followed by Alex Stamos, Chief Security Officer, Dan Rose, VP of Partnerships, Rachel Whetstone, VP of Communications, and Alex Hardiman, Head of News Products, in August.

    Finally, Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger and co-founder of Oculus Brendan Iribe joined the exodus in September and October.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Gerard Butler & Miley Cyrus Lost Their Homes in Malibu Wildfire

    Gerard Butler & Miley Cyrus Lost Their Homes in Malibu Wildfire

    The Malibu wildfire, which broke out on November 8, has destroyed more than 176 buildings including the homes of Gerard Butler, Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke, Neil Young, and Tracey Bregman. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Jessica Simpson, and Khloe Kardashian, along with 250,000 other people, have evacuated their homes.

    Gerard Butler

    Gerard Butler posted a picture of his half-burned house on Twitter yesterday. He was seen wearing a mask while standing in front of a scorched vehicle, presumably parked near the house.

    Butler bought this house, located in Point Dume, in 2016 for $6.45 million. Despite the devastating situation, he thanked the firefighters in his caption, “Inspired as ever by the courage, spirit, and sacrifice of firefighters.”

    Miley Cyrus

    Miley Cyrus also lost her $2.5 million Malibu beach bungalow in the Malibu fire. She tweeted that her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth and her pets had been safely evacuated.

    Robin Thicke

    Robin Thicke took to Instagram to thank firefighters for trying to save his $2.4-million house. His wife, April Love Geary, also posted a picture of the ruined structure on her Instagram Story.

    Source: Cosmopolitan

    Neil Young

    Neil Young’s $3.6-million house was destroyed in the recent fire. He posted on his official website that this was the second house he had lost in a wildfire.

    Neil Young
    Source: Fox News

    Tracey Bregman

    Tracey Bregman listed her Malibu property in 2013 for $5.5 million in 2013. Yesterday, she posted a picture of the same house being destroyed in the fire.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BqAvxC-F7kS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Liam Payne

    Liam Payne tweeted his support to the people who lost their houses and added that he might lose his $11.03-million mansion as well. He wrote:

    ‘Please stay safe and don’t take unnecessary risks. I think I’m about to lose my house and its memories.

    Meanwhile, the Woolsey fire reached the Bachelor mansion and the Westworld set. Thankfully, no one was currently filming at these locations.

    Celebrities Await Safe Return to Their Homes

    Lady Gaga and her family evacuated her house on Friday. She said:

    “I’m sitting here with many of you wondering if my home will burst into flames.”

    Kim Kardashian West and her sister Khloe Kardashian were also forced to leave their homes. Later, West dedicated her People’s Choice Award to the California firefighters.

    Jessica Simpson posted a picture of her house and added that they had evacuated around two days ago. Melissa Etheridge also clarified that she still hadn’t moved back to her house.

    Orlando Bloom uploaded a picture which showed that the fires were close to his house. However, it appears that he hasn’t been requested to evacuate yet. Mark Hamill also assured fans that even though the flames were visible from his house, he was safe.

    The wildfire began in the town of Paradise and moved to Southern California on Thursday. So far, 31 people have died and 200 have been declared missing.

  • Meet the Top 10 Richest Hollywood Film Producers

    Meet the Top 10 Richest Hollywood Film Producers

    The Hollywood film industry is one of the world’s oldest and most successful motion picture industries. From classics like The Godfather to cultural phenomenon such as Star Wars, Hollywood has created thousands of masterpieces.

    These movies, however, owe their success to the team that works arduously hard behind the scenes. Most importantly, Hollywood film producers are the ones who put their careers at stake when they select an idea and spend months on turning it into a movie suitable for a diverse audience.

    Fortunately, they are also the ones who reap the benefits of blockbuster hits. While an average film producer earns $750,000 per movie, a top film producer’s upfront payment easily crosses $1 million.

    The Top 10 Richest Hollywood Film Producers

    1. George Lucas

    George Lucas

    At the age of 74 and with a net worth of $5.6 billion, George Lucas is the creator of the Star Wars franchise. The first movie from the original trilogy was released in 1977 under his production company Lucasfilm. Lucas was given licensing and merchandise rights since Fox believed the movie would be a disaster at the box office.

    However, the franchise became an instant success and earned him an Academy Award nomination. He returned as the producer for the next two sequels and earned a great deal of money after 40 million Star Wars action figures were sold for over $100 million in 1978.

    Lucas also created the prequel series from 1999 to 2005, where Episode I grossed over $1 billion worldwide. He proved himself once more by creating another masterpiece: Indiana Jones. The first movie in the series was released in 1981 and it earned more than $389 million worldwide.

    Even though Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012 for $4.1 billion, he remains Hollywood’s richest film producer to date.

    2. Steven Spielberg

    Steven Spielberg

    Aged 71, Steven Spielberg follows his friend George Lucas closely behind with a net worth of $3.7 billion. His name is attached to blockbuster movies such as Jaws, Indiana Jones seriesE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park series and Saving Private Ryan.

    Spielberg also co-founded Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Studios (DWA) and became the executive producer of the Men In Black series and the Transformers series.

    He has been nominated for seven Academy Awards and has won three of them for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. His latest movie Ready Player One earned $582 million worldwide.

    Spielberg works as a consultant for Universal theme parks and earns millions of dollar per year in return.

     3. Arnon Milchan

    Arnon Milchan has a net worth of $3.6 billion and has produced over 132 movies under his production company New Regency Enterprises. Prior to joining the film industry, he transformed his bankrupt family business to a successful chemical company.

    Milchan’s filmography includes movies from different genres. He has produced romantic comedies such as Pretty Woman, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, What Happens in Vegas and Bride Wars, as well as blockbusters and critically acclaimed hits such as Fight Club, Gone Girl, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Revenant and 12 Years A Slave. Overall, his movies have grossed $11 billion at the box office worldwide.

    Milchan is listed number 652 on Forbes list of The World’s Billionaires 2018.

    4. Thomas Tull

    At the age of just 48, Thomas Tull has a net worth of $1.2 billion. Tull became a billionaire by following his heart and investing in movies based on comic books. He founded the production company Legendary Entertainment by raising $500 million and partnering with Warner Bros. in 2005.

    Tull is listed as the executive producer of Superman Returns, 300, The Dark Knight, Hangover Series, Inception, Man of Steel, Interstellar and Jurassic World. In 2016, Legendary Entertainment was bought by Wanda Group for $3.8 million. Even though Tull left his position as CEO of the company in the next year, his net worth remains above $1 billion.

    Tull is currently leading an investment holding firm Tulco, which uses Artificial Intelligence techniques to select different companies.

    5. Steve Tisch

    69-year-old Steve Tisch has a net worth of $1.1 billion.

    Tisch has won a Golden Globe and an Academy Award due to his compelling projects. His earlier works such as Risky Business and Outlaws Blues weren’t box office hits, but they were widely appreciated by critics. However, movies like Forrest Grump earned him various prestigious awards.

    Tisch founded his production company Steve Tisch Company in 1986. It was merged with Black & Blu to form Escape Artists in 2001. Some of the movies listed under the company include The Pursuit of Happiness and Knowing.

    Tisch became New York Giants’ chairman and Executive Vice President in 2005. He also inherited a large sum of money from his mother’s shares in his father’s company Loews Corp.

    6. Jeffrey Katzenberg

    At 67, Jeffrey Katzenberg has a net worth of approximately $1 billion.

    Katzenberg has been a part of some of the most famous animated movies of all time. He was the chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. He later co-founded DreamWorks Animation (DWA), along with Steven Spielberg, and served as the CEO from 2004 to 2016.

    Katzenberg is the executive producer of Academy Award nominees Shrek and Shark Tale. However, his net worth increased when he received $400 million after Comcast Corp. acquired DWA for $3.8 billion in 2016.

    Katzenberg founded consumer tech holding company WndrCo in 2017.

    7. Jerry Bruckheimer 

    At 75, Jerry Bruckheimer has a net worth of $900 million.

    Bruckheimer has produced hits in both film and TV industry. His movies and shows have earned 41 Academy Award and 77 Emmy Award nominations and won six Oscars, four Golden Globes and 17 Emmys. Hence, he is famously known as ‘Mr. Blockbuster’ in Hollywood.

    Bruckheimer produced the Pirates of the Caribbean series — the first movie earned $654 million worldwide. Some of his other movies include Top Gun, Con Air, and the National Treasure series. He has also worked as an executive producer for The Amazing Race, Modern Men, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Miami. 

    Bruckheimer was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.

    8. James Cameron

    James Cameron of Titanic fame has a net worth of $700 million at 64 years old.

    Cameron is the reason why every movie is being released in 3D nowadays. Up until Avatar was released in 3D, he was known for producing blockbuster hits such as The Terminator series, Aliens and Titanic.

    Titanic grossed over $2.1 billion worldwide and became the highest-grossing movie of all time. However, it was de-throned by Avatar in 2010, which went on to earn more than $2.7 billion. Cameron is currently working on four Avatar sequels which are expected to release in 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025.

    Cameron co-developed Fusion Camera System to shoot 3D movies, which has been used in 23 movies. He was also named one of the 100 most influential people of 2010 by the Time Magazine.

    9. Peter Jackson

    Peter Jackson is just 57 yet has already amassed a net worth of $450 Million.

    From New Zealand, Jackson has produced the fifth-highest grossing film series of all time: The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Following the success of these movies, Jackson became a part of King Kong and The Hobbit trilogy.

    Jackson received his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2014. He owns an aircraft restoration company titled The Vintage Aviator and is known for his World War I aircrafts collection.

    Jackson planned to launch a movie museum in a convention center located in New Zealand to display movie props, collections, and other antiques. However, the plan was abandoned when he couldn’t get into an agreement with the city.

    10. Micheal Bay

    Michael Bay is just 53 and is worth some $430 Million.

    Bay is the artist behind the box office success of the Transformers series. He worked as an intern in his early teens at the sets of the first Indiana Jones movie. He broke into the film industry when Jerry Bruckheimer hired him to direct Bad Boys in 1995.

    Bay went on to co-produce Armageddon, which was nominated for four Academy Awards. His most successful project, Transformers, became the 13-highest grossing film series but failed to win over movie critics.

    Bay co-founded production company Platinum Dunes in 2001, which has released horror movies such as A Quiet Place, The Purge series and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Elon Musk Posts The Boring Company’s LA Tunnel Video on Twitter

    Elon Musk Posts The Boring Company’s LA Tunnel Video on Twitter

    Elon Musk uploaded a 30-second video of the tunnel built by his company, The Boring Company, under the city of Los Angeles on November 3. The two-mile track will open for the first time on December 10 in a ‘one-dimensional party’.

    The video has been sped up but Musk assured people that the tunnel is “disturbingly long.”

     

    In an interview with tech news website Recode, Musk admitted to enjoying dad jokes while adding that tunnels are “underappreciated.”

    LA’s Proof-of-Concept Tunnel

    Musk chose tunnels over flying cars because this mode of transportation is safer. Tunnels are noise-free and are protected from earthquakes and bad weather.

    In 2017, The Boring Company uploaded a video on YouTube which showed that cars would be lowered into the tunnel on electric sleds. Construction of the tunnel began in the same year when the Hawthorne City approved The Boring Company’s plans for the test tunnel.

    Once the proof-of-concept tunnel is accepted by the public, the company will begin constructing the 2.7-mile ‘Phase 1’ tunnel. It will run from Pico Boulevard to Washington Boulevard in Culver City. If these projects are successful, Musk plans on creating 3-D tunnels in the entire city to make it easier for people to avoid traffic.

    Elon Musk Only Spends 10-15 Minutes on Twitter

    Musk’s tweets have recently been in the news for many reasons. From being sued for a tweet by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to claiming that said tweet was ‘worth it‘, Musk still believes that he doesn’t need to change his behavior. He said:

    “Some people use their hair to express themselves; I use Twitter.”

    Musk also talked about his tweets criticizing journalists and other news websites earlier this year. He said that news writers need to research and find authentic sources for their articles.

    Musk added that he only comments on 1% of articles because the rest of the material doesn’t convey false information. Despite asking followers to send him ‘dank memes’ and commenting on the low budget of Star Wars, Musk added that he only spends a maximum of 15 minutes on Twitter, concluding by saying that there is no harm in expressing himself on Twitter.

    Featured image from The Boring Company.

  • BlizzCon 2018 – The Internet Reacts to Diablo Immortal Announcement

    BlizzCon 2018 – The Internet Reacts to Diablo Immortal Announcement

    When Blizzard Entertainment announced that fans would receive news regarding the upcoming Diablo project in BlizzCon 2018, everyone expected them to debut Diablo 4. However, Blizzard revealed Diablo Immortal on Friday, the first day of the convention, instead.

    BlizzCon 2018 – Day One

    Diablo, a role-playing game (RPG) where players fight demons led by Lord of Terror Diablo, was first released in 1996. Its sequel, Diablo 2, was launched in 2000, followed by Diablo 3 in 2012.

    Diablo Immortal is specifically built for mobile devices–the story will take place between Diablo 2 and Diablo 3. It will unveil the events that happened after archangel Tyrael broke the Worldstone in order to save humanity. Pre-registration for the game is currently live.

    Players will be able to play in eight unique zones, with the chance to fight alongside other demon-slayers. Some of the demons available in the game include Herald of Terror, Skarn, and Vile Mothers.

    Fans Express Disappointment on Social Media

    Diablo fans were extremely upset with the news announced on the first day of BlizzCon. Some users said that no gamer would want to play a video game on their mobile while others pointed out that Blizzard should have known that this decision was completely distasteful.

    After waiting for a new game for six years, some users have stated that Blizzard should have canceled the game series instead of introducing Diablo Immortal.

    The official cinematic trailer of Diablo Immortal had received 216,000 dislikes and only 7,200 likes in the last 24 hours. A Reddit user also pointed out that Blizzard has been deleting negative comments on YouTube. As a result, fans have been encouraging each other to downvote, dislike, and comment on the posts again.

    A video has also surfaced on Twitter which shows a fan asking Diablo Immortal developers in the Q/A session whether the game is an April fools’ joke.

    Blizzard Dismissed Diablo 4 Rumors in October

    Some fans have come forward to support Diablo developers by explaining that Blizzard had already mentioned they wouldn’t be releasing Diablo 4 in BlizzCon 2018.

    ‘We can only say that “good things come to those who wait,” but evil things often take longer’

    which indirectly means that Diablo 4 was never planned to be released in this event. Meanwhile, Blizzard also revealed trailers for Heroes of the Storm, World of Warcraft and Overwatch yesterday.

    Featured image from 9to5Mac.

  • Why You Should Be Investing in Comic Books Right Now

    Why You Should Be Investing in Comic Books Right Now

    Investors often find themselves at crossroads between what they view as a safe asset and what is being promoted as a promising asset. The majority of the time, these people tend to choose the safer option by putting their money into real estate, bonds, and stocks. But only a handful of people know that investing in comic books has lower risks and can be slightly more secure.

    Comic books attracted the masses as soon as DC published the Action Comics #1 in 1938. Marvel also joined the industry after publishing Marvel Comics #1 in 1939.

    We explored the world of these comic book superheroes to make a list of three reasons you should be diversifying your investment portfolio by purchasing rare comic books.

    1. DC Superhero Debut Comic Books Are Worth $1 to $5 Million

    Action Comics #1 introduced Superman to the entire world and was sold for only 10 cents in 1938. Now, only 50 to 100 copies of this comic book are left in the world.

    In 2011, famous actor Nicholas Cage sold his copy for $2.11 million. However, the value passed $3 million in 2014, when another near mint (grade 9.0) copy was bought by Vincent Zurzolo of Metropolis Collectibles on eBay for $3.2 million. Last year, the price was recorded to have soared past $5.5 million.

    Source: USA Today

    In 1939, Batman made his debut in Detective Comics #27. This copy is currently valued at $2 million, while Superman’s origin story Superman #1 is worth $1 million. It’s worth noting that these values will continue to increase in the coming years.

    2. Marvel Comics Will Become More Valuable

    Marvel’s fanbase grew after the successful release of Iron Man in 2008. This year, Avengers: Infinity War earned over $2 billion worldwide and became the highest-grossing superhero movie of all time.

    Now apart from comic book fans, moviegoers are also trying to purchase the original arcs of these characters, which is why these rare copies are expected to become more expensive.

    Source: Marvel

    For instance, a copy ofAmazing Fantasy #15, which introduced Spiderman in 1962, was sold for $1.1 million in 2012. Other comics include X-Men #1 worth over $490,000 and Iron Man’s Tales of Suspense #39 worth more than $375,000.

    3. Comics Are More Liquid than Other Investment Assets

    It’s important to know which comic book will give you a higher return on your investment. It can be an original superhero story or any other arc which isn’t easily available in the market anymore.

    Zurzolo said that around 150,000 to 300,000 people attend comic conventions every year. These individuals have enough money to spend thousands of dollars on rare comics because ‘nowadays it’s cool to be a nerd’.

    Source: China Daily

    Furthermore, most of the highly sought-after comic books are limited in numbers. They are not being mass produced, hence, this investment won’t blow up like a bubble.

    Apart from Marvel and DC, comics such as The Walking Dead are also immensely famous. Once you start investing in comic books, you will need to keep a track of your collection and make sure that they are in perfect condition. You should also look out for upcoming superhero movies which will help you identify which comics will appreciate in value in the future.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Target to Close Six Stores in February 2019

    Target to Close Six Stores in February 2019

    Target Corporation, US-based department store, is planning to close six stores in February 2019, as reported by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal today. Earlier this year, Target closed 12 stores in Minnesota, Fergus Falls, and Hastings, among others, as part of their announcement in 2017.

    Two of these stores are located in Chicago, while the rest are located in Greenfield, Brooklyn Center, Commack, and Cordova. With almost 120 employees in Brooklyn Center, Target plans to offer jobs in other stores to the existing employees. The company will also offer severance packages to some employees in case they have to let them go.

    Target said that the decision was made after ‘decreasing profitability’ was observed in these stores. The company had even upgraded some of these stores and added new retail categories.

    Erin Conroy, Public Relations Senior Manager, said that even though it is a difficult task, the company performs such analyses every year. In this way, they keep their:

    “store portfolio healthy and ensure it’s always a small number”

    While the store in Brooklyn Center was opened in 1986, the two stores in Chicago were opened in 2002 and 2008. Now, only three stores are left in Chicago.

    Despite this news, Target has announced that it will open 30 small stores near colleges and urban areas. While an average Target store is around 120,000 square feet, the new stores will be 50,000 square feet in size in order to attract millennial customers.

    A Tug of War Between Target and Walmart

    One of the stores which is closing in the next year is located close to retail company Walmart. These companies are often competing against each other in order to entertain more customers. However, they decided to stand against Amazon as well by offering free two-day shipping this holiday season.

    The two retail stores often collaborate with celebrities to promote their brands. From The Oscars to The Grammys, they have appeared on TV screens in front of millions of people.

    Currently, Walmart’s stock has increased by 1.99% and has soared past $100, while Target’s stock is set at $86.12 with a 2.44% increase in the past 24 hours.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.