The future of entertainment

PLUS: An event that could save cinema.

View in browser  |  Your newsletter preferences 07.22.23 This week, WIRED rolled out a series of stories detailing what we believe the future of entertainment might entail. The purpose was to look at how all aspects of culture, from books to video games to YouTube, could be impacted by advancements in technology. As we worked on it, though, something happened: Contract talks between Hollywood studios and the writers and actors unions began to break down. One of the major sticking points in those negotiations was the use of artificial intelligence in movie- and TV-making. Suddenly, as Madeline Ashby wrote in her essay this week, the world was in the midst of Hot Strike Summer.   The longer writers and actors are on strike, the bigger the hole next summer or the summer after that, when the movies that would be filming right now aren't ready. (Deadpool 3 and the sequel to Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One, for example, are both currently on hold.) Cinemas have been bouncing back in the years since Covid restrictions were lifted and people began feeling comfortable in movie houses again. A lackluster year brought on by a dearth of films could prove detrimental.   Read more about Hollywood's apocalypse here, and consider the future of entertainment with the stories below.   Angela Watercutter, Senior Editor Find me on Twitter @WaterSlicer FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT | 16-MINUTE READ Hollywood's Future Belongs to People—Not Machines BY MADELINE ASHBY Artificial intelligence is poised to transform entertainment as we know it, from blockbusters to pornography. But the power is still in the hands of humans. FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT | 9-MINUTE READ The Future of Children's Television Isn't Television BY KATE KNIBBS Children's media is its own universe, where YouTube sits at the center—but gaming platforms are closing in. FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT | 6-MINUTE READ Why Generative AI Won't Disrupt Books BY ELIZABETH MINKEL Every new technology from the internet to virtual reality has tried to upend book culture. There's a reason they've all failed—and always will. FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT | 5-MINUTE READ How Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny De-Aged Harrison Ford BY WILL BEDINGFIELD Industrial Light & Magic developed a new suite of tools to reincarnate the Indy of the 80s. The effect is haunting—and raises more questions about the use of AI in Hollywood. FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT | 6-MINUTE READ The Indie Title That Could Make or Break Netflix Games BY MEGAN FAROKHMANESH Netflix acquired its first studio, Night School, in 2021. Now it's launching Oxenfree II: Lost Signals with the streaming service. How it fares could be a bellwether for indie success. 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. 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. Have questions or comments? Reply to this email.   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   Copyright © Condé Nast 2023. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.