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Ben Fritz

@benfritz.bsky.social
2.1K followers 252 following 637 posts

Entertainment industry reporter @wsj. Formerly AI Editor. My podcast: "With Great Power." My book: "The Big Picture." My email: ben.fritz@wsj.com

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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 1h
"Current and former Google employees said they feared that AI will travel the same arc as social media, where a Big Tech push fueled adoption among children, harms emerged five years later, and regulations to begin addressing those harms took 10 years." www.wsj.com/tech/ai/goog...
wsj.com
Google Pushed AI Into Schools—and Even Students Say It’s Gone Too Far
The risks of cognitive and emotional dependence, along with falling test scores, are fueling a backlash.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 2h
Disney is planning a major restructuring of its television business. Fewer brands and fewer people. w/ Joe Flint www.wsj.com/business/med...
wsj.com
Disney Planning TV Restructuring as Streamlining Continues
The reorganization, the latest under CEO Josh D’Amaro, is expected to result in hundreds of layoffs and the consolidation of divisions.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
This is the thumbnail Gemini Notebook created for the project I created containing my Bob Chapek interview and related reporting.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Folks, this one's a really good read. In his first interview since being fired from Disney, Bob Chapek talks about Scarlett Johansson, "don't say gay," and why he believes he never had a chance against Iger's campaign to undermine and replace him. www.wsj.com/business/med...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan speaks for the first time about what can happen to creators who sign deals with Netflix. www.wsj.com/business/med...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
My profile of Roy Lee, the disarmingly honest, low key "IP guy" who produced "The Ring," "The Lego Movie," "It," "A Minecraft Movie" and this weekend's hit "Resident Evil." I hope you'll read it, but either way, here's my absolute favorite detail. www.wsj.com/business/med...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Seems like there's a trend here. www.wsj.com/tech/ai/gemi...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Gemini Hacked Three Companies in First Known Breakout by Google’s AI
The episode resembled similar hacks by other AI models, but Google said it did not consider it an instance of model misalignment.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
California's GOP candidate for governor distancing himself from Trump
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Asha Sharma has a saying: "clarity of kindness." The new Xbox CEO has zero experience in video games and a mission to fix Microsoft's troubled business with brutal honesty. My profile: www.wsj.com/tech/xbox-mi...
wsj.com
The Woman Fixing a Microsoft Mess With Brutal Honesty
The Woman Fixing a Microsoft Mess With Brutal Honesty
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
This seems bad. www.wsj.com/economy/cons...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
"Avengers Doomsday" box office pre-sales are over $50 million, Disney's CFO just said at a Goldman Sachs conference.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Realized while watching episode 4 that John and Hal have strong Tracy Flick-Mr. McAllister vibes
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Stunner
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Elizabeth Holmes inviting Nathan Fielder into her life seems like it could rival Michael Jackson cooperating with Martin Bashir in the annals of catastrophic celebrity misjudgment. www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
hollywoodreporter.com
‘You Can See Everything’ Review: Elizabeth Holmes Doc From Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim Is Fascinatingly Slippery, Dizzyingly Clever
The film — a surprise world premiere at Telluride — picks up the story of the disgraced Theranos founder in the weeks leading up to her prison sentence, and then again two years into her incarceration...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Who knew Laura Linney could act so convincingly non-human
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
David Ellison has promised, in writing, 30+ movies annually if Paramount buys Warner. As this chart shows, his pledge defies economic trends. So will he stick to it? And is it smart business? www.wsj.com/business/med...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Many in Hollywood have been eagerly, anxiously, desperately awaiting this moment. Backers believe a federal tax credit of 15% or 20% could bring a lot of film and TV production back to the U.S., where entertainment workers are really struggling. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
wsj.com
Trump Calls for Federal Film and Television Tax Incentive
A beleaguered Hollywood has been lobbying for help to stop the flight of productions to other countries.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
An Aardman-produced Pokemon series!
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
People accuse Hollywood of fan service and playing it safe, then in a 10 episode season of *science-fiction* franchise Star Trek ("Strange New Worlds"), they devote five in a row to: dinosaurs, horror, "The Hangover," "Casablanca," and... puppets.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
L.A. County has already agreed to pay settlements that so far would cost about $500 for each of the county’s 9.7 million residents. Under its main agreement, even plaintiffs suspected of fraud could be paid $50,000 to drop their claims. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
wsj.com
California Passed a Law to Help Abuse Victims. It’s Costing Taxpayers Billions.
The state made it easier to file civil claims over decades-old abuse, but critics say the law lacks limits that would rein in fraud and high costs.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
So ghostwritten op-eds are totally cool, but AI-written ones are not? Want to make sure I'm clear on the rules.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
"The more work AI agents do, the more founders find themselves working." Is that what AI was supposed to do for us? www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-a...
wsj.com
Startup Founders Are Working Harder Than Ever to Keep Up With Their AI Agents
The growing capabilities of AI give new meaning to working yourself to the bone.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Obviously the aliens are the main mystery. But will someone also look into why the rancher grandparents appear to be in their 40s?
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
The non-rave "Lanterns" reviews are like "the comic book stuff ruins it" or "why make a Green Lantern show with so little comic book stuff?" Which goes to show that the right amount of comic book stuff in an adaptation is totally subjective based on your personal geekdom
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
For the people in Hollywood constantly wondering whether Sony Pictures will be sold, the CEO of Sony Corp.'s says its primary business is now entertainment. So no. www.wsj.com/business/med...
wsj.com
How a Sony Veteran Is Overhauling the Company He Grew Up In
The Sony veteran says the future of the electronics business is entertainment.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Having to effectively monitor which tech tools are enabled for which students sounds like a fun additional job for school administrators and teachers. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/b...
nytimes.com
Google Turns On Gemini A.I. for Students Using Its Classroom App (Gift Article)
Google enabled A.I. features for K-12 schools that have allowed student access to Gemini. Until this week, Google automatically enabled Gemini in Classroom only for students 18 or older.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
"Supergirl 2" canceled. Box office to blame, sources say.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I wouldn't personally dispense it as bullet pointed advice, but I've absolutely done something like this while reading particularly dense novels and found it quite helpful. Seems pretty snobby to mock it IMO.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
While on vacation I learned that Premiere magazine is still a thing in France. Lucky them! (Also had a great time taking my son and father on a WWI/II military history tour)
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Spider-Man is totally defying Hollywood's superhero slump, as evidenced by the huge opening weekend "Brand New Day" is about to have. Why? The insanely popular preschool cartoon "Spidey and His Amazing Friends" is part of the reason. www.wsj.com/business/med...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Eye-opening analysis by Jonathan Weil of how a potential AI bubble is being built right now by Wall Street analysts who cover the hyperscalers. www.wsj.com/finance/big-...
wsj.com
Big Tech Stocks Are Pricing In a Miracle on Costs
Analysts’ models are assuming new efficiencies, but some of the numbers look too good to be true.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Eye-opening analysis by @JonathanWeil of how a potential AI bubble is being built right now by Wall Street analysts who cover the hyperscalers. www.wsj.com/finance/big-...
wsj.com
Big Tech Stocks Are Pricing In a Miracle on Costs
Analysts’ models are assuming new efficiencies, but some of the numbers look too good to be true.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Fun detail in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day": They turned the Marvel Studios animated logo into a "previously on" montage reminding viewers what happened at the end of "No Way Home." Very efficient!
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
It's official! Opening in 2028, when renovations are complete. And food will not be served in the Dome.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Universal is releasing its Snoop biopic on Aug 6, 2027. Opening against "The Bluey Movie," which feels like a different audience.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Swaybox animators have unionized. And apparently the budget for "Dynamic Duo" is about $90 million.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Pixar layoffs aren't a referendum on how its movies have performed (Toy Story 5: great; Hoppers: mediocre). It's about the output going forward. Three movies every two years, two of which are sequels, which typically require less time (and thus manpower) than originals.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
My long held dream of seeing a close up of my thumb in America's highest-circulation print newspaper has finally been realized.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
More layoffs at Disney today. Several hundred people at divisions including Pixar and ESPN. As we previously reported, job cuts are going to keep coming all year at Disney (and maybe beyond)
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Good call taking cash. www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/bus...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
The idea that it's a problem Dune and Avengers are opening within a week of each other is post-pandemic brain nonsense. Multiple movies can succeed around Christmas. It has happened many times. Star War / Jumanji; Aquaman/Spider-Verse; Rogue One/Sing/Hidden Figures
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Disney theme parks are all about immersing yourself in the magic. But to effectively use Lightning Lanes, you have to be buried in your phone making and revising ride reservations. My story on the new, phone-first Disney park experience. www.wsj.com/lifestyle/tr...
wsj.com
Disney is the Happiest Place on Earth, Unless You’re the Designated Scroller
To avoid endless lines, one person in every party has to manically book and revise ride reservations on their phone .
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Huge opening for "The Odyssey" isn't just a win for Nolan and Universal, but for auteurs over franchises. www.wsj.com/business/med...
wsj.com
Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Proves Hollywood’s Top Directors Are Franchises Now
The big-budget epic opened with $264 million at the global box office, besting many franchise films.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
The Emmys once again showing the Oscars how it's done. deadline.com/2026/07/emmy...
deadline.com
Emmys Cuts Number Of Televised Categories For 2026 Ceremony
The Television Academy has voted to move five categories from the Primetime Emmys telecast, which takes place on September 14.
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Just saw the first real estimate, based on early ticket sales, for the domestic opening gross of "The Odyssey": $117 million.
static.klipy.com
Christopher Nolan's Contemplative Expression
ALT: Christopher Nolan's Contemplative Expression
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Awkward. www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Comment from Forrester Research Director Mike Proulx:
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters on becoming more like Tubi: "A free offering could make sense in some markets... free is something we're going to continue to consider, but we have no near-term plans to launch something."
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Microsoft poured $80 billion-plus into its Xbox business to build the Netflix of video games. Now it's laying off 3,200 people and radically restructuring Xbox. What went wrong? Watch our video (featuring, I regret to inform you... me!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpqT...
youtube.com
Why Microsoft's $80B Xbox Bet Backfired | WSJ What Went Wrong
YouTube video by The Wall Street Journal
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Ben Fritz @benfritz.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Data is so annoying. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/o...
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