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Neither a Jordan Peele-produced horror nor a Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell romantic drama were enough to continue the September hot streak at the movies. After back-to-back weekends that had films majorly overperforming, first “The Conjuring: Last Rights” followed by the anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle,” the North American box office slowed significantly.Overall ticket sales were down nearly 50% from last weekend, with the holdover champion “Demon Slayer” edging out the newcomer “Him” for first place, according to studio estimates Sunday. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures’ “Demon Slayer” added $17.3 million over the weekend, bringing its total to $104.7 million, which makes it the highest grossing anime film ever in North America.The football horror “Him” opened in second place with an estimated $13.5 million in ticket sales. Universal Pictures opened “Him” in 3,168 North American theaters, where the audience was 52% male and 65% over the age of 25. Internationally, it earned $400,000.Produced by Peele’s Monkeypaw and directed by Justin Tipping, “Him” is about a promising young quarterback (Tyriq Withers) who is invited to train with a veteran (Marlon Wayans) at an isolated compound.“Him” scored with neither critics (it carries a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes) nor audiences, who gave the film a C- CinemaScore. In his review for The Associated Press, film writer Jake Coyle wrote that the film “was made with the potent premise of bringing the kind of dark, satirical perspective that characterizes a Monkeypaw production to our violent national pastime. But that promise gets fumbled in an allegorical chamber play that grows increasingly tedious.”“Him” was also nearly upstaged by another horror, “The Conjuring: Last Rights,” which made an estimated $13 million in its third weekend. With a global total of $400 million, it’s now the biggest film in the Conjuring universe.They are two of three horror movies in this weekend’s top 10, including “Weapons.” According to data firm Comscore, this year that genre alone has generated $1.1 billion in domestic box office receipts, just several million short of the 2017 record driven by “It” and “Get Out.”“Horror movies have been on a bit of a hot streak,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s head of marketplace trends. “It’s going to be a record-breaking year.”In addition to “Demon Slayer,” Sony had a new film this weekend as well: The original romance “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” starring Robbie and Farrell, but that fizzled with audiences, earning only $3.5 million from 3,300 locations. It also received largely negative reviews and currently has a 37% on Rotten Tomatoes.“Audiences are selective in what they want to see,” Dergarabedian said. “Negative reviews can create really strong headwinds for original films with no brand recognition.”In its second weekend, “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” added another $6.3 million, bringing its running total to $31.6 million. The Stephen King adaptation “The Long Walk” is also estimating $6.3 million in weekend two, down only 46% from its opening. Its domestic total of $22.7 million has already exceeded its production budget of $20 million (though that sum does not account for marketing and promotion).Ron Howard’s 1995 hit “Apollo 13” played in 200 theaters this weekend for its 30th anniversary as well. It made an estimated $600,000. The 30th anniversary re-release of “Toy Story,” now in its second weekend, added $1.4 million.Next weekend there is excitement surrounding the new Paul Thomas Anderson film “One Battle After Another,” although his biggest hit to date remains the 2007 film “There Will Be Blood,” which made just over $76 million worldwide, not accounting for inflation.And right on its heels is a very different kind of cinema experience: AMC Theaters is hosting a release party for Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, ” The Life of a Showgirl.” The 90-minute show, aptly titled “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” will play at all 540 AMC theaters in the U.S. from Oct. 3 through Oct. 5. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” $17.3 million “Him,” $13.5 million. “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” $13 million. (tie) “The Long Walk,” $6.3 million. (tie) “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” $6.3 million. “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” $3.5 million. “The Senior,” $2.8 million. “Toy Story” (30th Anniversary re-release), $1.4 million. “Sight & Sound Presents: NOAH – Live!” $1.4 million. “Weapons,” $1.3 million. Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer
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E-Commerce
Convincing kids to brush their teeth twice a day is an age-old problem. A new company is arguing that the solution might look a lot like Lego. Babsy is a toothbrush company founded by two pediatric dentists and a former Cartoon Network designer who believe that the answer to better oral health for kids comes down to simply making brushing fun. How did they realize this idea? Founders Dante Paolino, Zach Gelber, and Marissa Gelber worked with the New York-based industrial design firm Leadoff Studio to design a cleverly customizable toothbrush inspired by classic toys. It’s currently available online as part of a starter pack, which includes all the components of the toothbrush, plus extra accessories, for $40. [Photo: Takamasa Ota/courtesy Leadoff Studio] While other companies have framed pediatric brushing as a tech problem (to be solved through electronic toothbrushes with special jingles or vibration speeds) Babsy argues that getting kids to brush their teeth is actually a design issueone with a very analog solution. Design for behavioral change Teeth brushing can be kind of a drag. What Babsy’s “Build-A-Brush” suggests is that the answer to pediatric tooth brushing isn’t to turn it into a high-tech gadget, but rather to decrease kids’ resistance by giving the brush more interaction and appeal. It’s so hard to get kids to brush their teeth, says Jordan Diatlo, the founder, CEO, and creative director at Leadoff Studio, and a parent to two young kids. You would think, It’s just part of the daily routine, it should be easy, but nothey will resist with everything they’ve got. A lot of times, as a parent, I have to actually sit there and brush inside my kid’s mouth. [Photo: courtesy Leadoff Studio] Diatlo certainly isnt the only parent whos experienced this struggle. He recalls the Babsy founders sharing that parents always ask them the same question during dental visits: What toothbrush should I get my kid? It’s an apt question, because there’s so much choice. The current market for kids’ toothbrushes ranges from electronic brushes inspired by the popular stuffed animal brand Squishmallow to U-shaped brushes designed to make the process more autonomous and biodegradable bamboo brushes. According to a 2024 report from the business consulting firm Grand View Research, the global pediatric oral care market size was estimated at $10.3 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $15.5 billion by 2030. [Photo: Takamasa Ota/courtesy Leadoff Studio] The toothbrush category is also expected to grow at the fastest rate between 2025 and 2030 compared to other products like mouthwash and toothpaste, due to “modifications and innovations in toothbrush design, such as the introduction of electric toothbrushes and improvements in the size and quality of bristles.” As companies including Oral-B, Philips Sonicare, and Foreo Issa continue to innovate new products specifically for kids, the market can become a bit confusing for parents. [Photo: Takamasa Ota/courtesy Leadoff Studio] The parents are always expecting that they need the latest and greatest vibrating technology, or bristlehead technology, or they need some app to trck their kids’ brushing habits, Diatlo says. But Drs. Paolino and Zach Gelber actually tell their parents that the toothbrushes’ capabilities don’t matter all that muchwhat really counts for overall oral hygiene is actually getting kids to brush their teeth more often. To achieve that goal, the build-a-brush is all about turning a toothbrush from a utilitarian chore tool to a tactile, personalized toy. Design for fun Initially, the build-a-brush concept involved an interchangeable brush, body, and base for kids to choose and play with. Diatlos team took that concept and built on it, pulling inspiration from action figures, wooden block toys, and Lego. [Video: courtesy Leadoff Studio] The final product starts with a simple spiral rod, similar to the basic Lego piece that might hold up the structure. Then, the rest of the toothbrush is divided into five interchangeable parts: one toothbrush head, which is swiveled onto the top of the rod, and four decorative parts, which can be screwed onto the remaining rod in any order. These parts, or “bits” as the company calls them, come in a range of colors and patterns, including pieces with smiling faces, others with 3D feet, some with chunky spiral shapes, and even one that resembles a koala clinging onto the side of the brush. The entire design is built to be interchangeable and easy enough to use that even a child as young as three would have the motor skills to put it together. Design for children’s development We’re really trying to hit these two really developing parts of the child’s brain, Diatlo says. First, the toothbrush plays to kids’ innate desire to build something with their own hands. And, second, it allows for kids to play into their developing sense of individuality by switching the brush based on what they’re into at any given moment, whether that be aliens or fairies. [Photo: Takamasa Ota/courtesy Leadoff Studio] A Babsy starter pack includes a spiral rod, six bits, and two brush heads. The brand also launched with four $10 expansion packs, each of which come with three additional bits. All of the toothbrushs components are made of 100% recycled polypropylene plastic, which Diatlo says has a soft feel with enough durability for a kids’ product. This is the most rewarding product that we’ve ever launched, Diatlo says. Ive just been watching Babsys Instagram stories of kids opening up their toothbrushes, and there are some where a little kid opens it, and it looks like Christmas morning, they’re so excited. That just makes your heart melt, but also, the fact that we made a toothbrush that is getting kids this excited is an absolute victory.
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E-Commerce
Shares of U.S. technology companies slipped on Monday after President Donald Trump unveiled steep new visa fees as part of his immigration crackdown, raising concerns over higher labor costs and tighter access to skilled workers. The Trump administration said on Friday it would ask companies to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B working visas, prompting some big tech companies and banks to warn employees to stay in the U.S. or quickly return. Analysts said the impact should be moderate, given that the fees apply only to new applications, but warned that a constrained supply of skilled workers in the U.S. may push wages higher and squeeze margins. Companies including Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Goldman Sachs were among those that sent urgent emails to their employees with travel advisories. Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions, JP Morgan and Intel, which rank among the biggest sponsors of H-1B visas, were down between 1.2% and 1.6% in premarket trading. “The H1B fee will constrain talent supply in the U.S., which in turn will drive up demand for locals or green card holders. IT firms will have to pay these employees more or risk losing them,” Jefferies analysts said in a note. “The talent supply crunch will drive up onsite wages, which could drag profits by 4-13%.” Indian IT workers make up the bulk of H-1B applicants, and while Indian IT companies have long benefited from U.S. work visa programs, they now face the prospect of higher costs and slower revenue growth. Indian IT stocks slid on Monday, with the tech sub-index dropping nearly 3% and dragging the broader Nifty 50 index down. “We believe this will essentially shut out new H-1B visas except in extreme cases for Indian IT companies, as USD100K increment is nearly double their median salaries and doesn’t make economic sense,” Ambit Capital analysts said. Samuel Indyk and Akash Sriram, Reuters
Category:
E-Commerce
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