Why 'Barbenheimer’ signals the start of Hollywood’s apocalypse

PLUS: What My Solitary Confinement in Iran Revealed About the Dangers of an Isolated Internet, and more. [View this email in your browser]( | [Manage newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir) [07.21.23](   [Collage of a cocoon, light coming in through a prison window, and a blurred prism of people walking in a public square]( IDEAS | 7-MINUTE READ [What My Solitary Confinement in Iran Revealed About the Dangers of an Isolated Internet]( BY HOSSEIN DERAKHSHAN [Online platforms and near-future technologies will exacerbate our physical and cognitive isolation from one another, somewhat similar to how our bodies and minds are controlled in prison.](   [The White House in Washington DC]( PINKY SWEAR | 3-MINUTE READ [AI Giants Pledge to Allow External Probes of Their Algorithms, Under a New White House Pact]( BY KHARI JOHNSON [Leading AI developers including Google and OpenAI promised the Biden administration to check for problems such as biased output. The agreement is not legally binding.](   [Two phones with emojis on them, film negatives behind it in blue and black]( FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT | 5-MINUTE READ [The New Minstrels Are Here]( BY JASON PARHAM [AI-generated video and images are ushering in an ungovernable reality—where the remixing of stereotypes is not only accepted, but big business.](   [Illustration of Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenehimer with Barbie doll legs and a nuclear bomb exploding in a desert landscape ]( THE MONITOR | 3-MINUTE READ [‘Barbenheimer’ Signals the Start of Hollywood’s Apocalypse]( BY ANGELA WATERCUTTER [This weekend, two of the most anticipated movies of the year, Barbie and Oppenheimer, hit theaters. It’s an event that could save cinema—right before it implodes.]( ADVERTISEMENT [GET WIRED]( [Get WIRED for just $29.99 $5. That includes subscriber-only content like Steven Levy's Plaintext column, plus free stickers!]([Subscribe now.](   [Kokopelli Chasm Lite paddle board]( PRODUCT REVIEW | 4-MINUTE READ [This Stand-Up Paddleboard Is Solid Summer Fun—and It Deflates When You’re Done]( BY STEPHANIE PEARSON [This compact toy will float your boat and pack down for storage in small spaces.](   [TikTok logo on headquarters building in Culver City, California]( UNION DUES | 3-MINUTE READ [A Leaked Memo Shows TikTok Knows It Has a Labor Problem]( BY VITTORIA ELLIOTT [Internal TikTok documents reveal that the company is preparing for scrutiny of its supply chain. This comes after a Kenyan judge cleared the way for moderators to sue Meta.](   [Coravin Sparkling wine preservation system on top of a bottle of wine]( PRODUCT REVIEW | 3-MINUTE READ [Coravin’s Latest Wine Saver Is Here for Your Bubbles]( BY CHRISTOPHER NULL [A new version of Coravin’s preservation system—which pumps gas into a bottle, letting you sample a glass or two without spoiling the rest—now works with sparkling wines.](   [Drone image of North Farm with a green field and irrigation system spraying water. ]( FIELDS OF VIEW | 3-MINUTE READ [This Startup Wants to Give Farmers a Closer Look at Crops—From Space]( BY RAMIN SKIBBA [A UK company cofounded by an astrophysicist combines AI with radar satellite imagery to keep track of vegetation, and eventually to make forecasts about its growth.](   [Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus portable power station]( PRODUCT REVIEW | 6-MINUTE READ [Jackery's Dependable Portable Power Station Ticks All The Boxes]( BY SIMON HILL [Bring power wherever and whenever you need it with this dependable portable power station.](   Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world on [jobs.wired.com](. [Senior Product Manager]( [Zoom Video Communications]( Location: Remote [APPLY NOW]( [Salesforce Platform Manager]( [Intelsat]( [Location: McLean, VA, USA]( [APPLY NOW]( ADVERTISEMENT [(image) WIRED Logo]( [(image) WIRED on Facebook]( [(image) WIRED on Twitter]( [(image) WIRED on Instagram]( [(image) WIRED on LinkedIn]( [(image) WIRED on YouTube]( [Podcasts]( Have questions or comments? [Reply to this email](mailto:hello@wired.com?subject=WIRED%20Newsletter%20Questions,%20Comments%20or%20Feedback). This email was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our email address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( or [Manage your newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir) Copyright © Condé Nast 2023. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.