Moviegoers will find a wealth of familiar franchises on the big screen this year. It may not be enough to save the box office.
New entrants from popular film series dominate the movie slate in the next 12 months. The 2026 schedule features releases from Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Toy Story, Super Mario Bros., Hunger Games, Scream, Scary Movie, Minions, Dune and Jumanji.
Intellectual property like these established franchises has long been an important part of Hollywood, but they are increasingly vital in 2026 as the theatrical industry seeks to break the $10 billion mark at the domestic box office for the first time since the pandemic.
But some big-name installments aren’t drawing the crowds they used to, and industry insiders worry the $10 billion benchmark may be beyond reach this year for a post-pandemic industry that has been rocked by production shutdowns, the consolidation of major studios and a shift in consumer viewing toward streaming.
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“The reliance on franchises has been a little trickier the last few years,” said Alicia Reese, senior vice president of equity research for Wedbush. “Yes, there’s a level of certainty … but it’s not a home run. It’s never going to be a home run from here on out, because people are pickier than they used to be. They know what’s coming. Word of mouth means more than ever.”
Since 2010, the top 10 highest-grossing films domestically have predominantly been franchise films, according to data from Comscore. During that time, between eight and 10 of the films released each year were a sequel, prequel or remake. The only outlier was 2020, when seven of the top 10 films were franchise-based, due to the number of films that were delayed during Covid shutdowns.
And, of course, a number of the original titles that broke into the top 10 have become franchises themselves in the last two decades. Look at “Avatar,” “Frozen,” “Zootopia,” “Inside Out,” “Secret Life of Pets” and “Ted.”
“Studios clearly feel that audience comfortability — with going to see a movie where they already, in some sense, know what they’re getting before they walk into the auditorium — is a bet worth making,” said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore.
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As studios lean into the safety of a built-in audience, box office sales become more reliant on the success of these franchise films.
Prior to the pandemic, during the span of 2010 to 2019, top 10 films represented an average of 30% of the total domestic box office annually. Outpacing the group was the 2019 calendar where these films accounted for nearly 40% of the annual haul. All 10 films that year were IP-driven, and nine of them generated more than $1 billion globally.
Post-pandemic, the average percentage that the top 10 films represent of the total annual domestic box office is 44%.
“I remember having this conversation the late ’90s,” said Eric Handler, managing director and senior research analyst at Roth Capital Partners. “The box office has for the last several decades been franchise-driven. That’s just the way it is. Why? It’s because when there’s familiarity with content, there’s a greater chance that people will show up because there’s an affinity towards a particular franchise and it’s already known.”
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Now, Hollywood is facing the harsh reality of what happens when franchises fall flat.
Great expectations
Two of the most anticipated films to hit theaters last year — Universal’s “Wicked: For Good” and Disney’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” — underperformed expectations.
The first “Wicked” movie, released in 2024, tallied $475 million at the domestical box office and a little more than $750 million globally during its run in theaters. A year later, the second part of the duology collected just under $350 million from the U.S. and Canada and about $525 million globally.
Box office analysts attributed the smaller ticket sales to a drop in quality between the first and second installments. “Wicked” generated an 88% “Fresh” rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, while “Wicked: For Good” scored a 66% rating.
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“Avatar: Fire and Ash” had even bigger shoes to fill. James Cameron’s breakout hit “Avatar,” released in 2009, snared $785.2 million domestically and $2.1 billion internationally. It remains the highest-grossing film of all-time at the box office with $2.9 billion in ticket sales.
More than a decade later, “Avatar: The Way of Water” hit theaters, generating $688.8 million domestically and $1.6 billion internationally, bringing its total haul to $2.3 billion.
But when “Fire and Ash” hit theaters in December, consumer demand wasn’t nearly as high and the allure of Cameron’s ground-breaking filming techniques had worn off. “Fire and Ash,” which is still playing in theaters, has tallied just $378.5 million domestically and passed $1 billion internationally as of Sunday.
Wedbush’s Reese said part of the problem can be trying to mine too much from any one franchise.
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Take, for example, Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film franchise has been a box office darling for nearly two decades, but struggled in the wake of the climactic “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019 to produce consistent quality sequels. At the same time, it flooded the streaming market with a dozen new television series.
“If you try to stretch it too thin and you don’t put the same level of attention to details that it’s not going to work,” Reese said.
There’s also risk in trying to broaden a niche interest into a global success, she said. Do filmmakers stay close to the original IP and play to its base, or do they shoot for a wider audience and a bigger splash?
Sandworms emerge on the desert planet Arrakis in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two.”
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Warner Bros. | Legendary Entertainment
Reese noted Warner Bros.’ new Dune franchise, starring Timothée Chalamet and directed by Denis Villeneuve, is a good example of a series that’s threaded the needle, landing with fans who already loved the books at the same time that it drew in new crowds.
“If it’s a good film, it’ll service that core audience and it might bring in some newbies and have that broader appeal,” Reese said. “But, if you try to get that broad appeal and you’re not servicing your core fans, they will turn against you. That will spell huge problems, because if they don’t like the film, everyone else is going to find out about it, and they won’t go either, right?”
More than a film
Since Covid shutdowns all but decimated the movie industry in early 2020, the number of films being produced for theatrical release has declined.
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As studios produce fewer films, they’re counting even more on what they perceive as the safe bets of tried and true IP.
In 2024, 94 movies were released in more than 2,000 locations, a 20% decline from the 120 wide releases in 2019. That decline was mirrored in the box office results, which were down about 23% from the $11.4 billion tallied in 2019.
In 2025, there were 112 wide released films, about 6.6% down from 2019 levels, but the box office still lagged more than 20%.
Hollywood analysts point to several factors to explain why the domestic box office continues to drag.
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There is a lack of theatrical content, particularly films that are in the mid-budget range — $15 million to $90 million. Most of these films, which tend to be dramas, comedies, romantic comedies and thrillers, have transitioned to streaming, as they are cheaper to make and help pad digital libraries with new content.
At the same time, consumers have become pickier about what they watch and the home entertainment space has advanced in a way that in-home technology makes staying on the couch easier.
Because of this, studios and theater owners have started “eventizing” film releases — promoting the films as must-see in premium large format theaters like IMAX, Dolby Cinema, Screen X or 4DX; selling specialty merchandise like popcorn buckets and drink sippers as well as limited-time food options; and hosting events associated with a film release like friendship bracelet making for the Taylor Swift concert film release.
Often, the films that are easiest to promote in this way are those that are based on known franchises.
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Last year, when “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” hit theaters, Alamo Drafthouse hosted fancy dress screenings, encouraging moviegoers to arrive in period-appropriate attire. The event included a costume contest and themed drinks and food. The theater chain has hosted similar events for screenings of James Bond and Star Wars films and will host one for the upcoming “Wuthering Heights” adaptation.
And these franchises aren’t just showing up in movie theaters. Many major film studios also have their own consumer product and experience divisions, which rely on theatrical content to not only sell merchandise but fuel theme park designs, live events and even cruise ships.
Fans of franchises are hungry for products that celebrate and show off their favorite characters or movie moments. This can manifest in the form of apparel, bedding, kitchen utensils and bumper stickers all the way to collectibles, luxury watches, electronics and seasonal products like ornaments.
Disney has built theme park lands, rides and cruise ship elements based on Star Wars, Marvel, The Muppets, Pixar films like Cars, The Incredibles, Toy Story and Monsters Inc., as well as Disney Animation properties like Frozen, Zootopia, Moana, The Lion King and the Little Mermaid.
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New Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studio
Source: Courtesy Visit Orlando
Comcast’s Universal, too, has decked out its theme parks with its own properties — Jurassic Park, Minions, Secret Life of Pets, Dark Universe and How to Train Your Dragon — alongside licensed franchises like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Nintendo.
And beloved and well-tended-to franchises have staying power: The Star Wars franchise hasn’t notched a new theatrical release since 2019, yet it’s remained one of the top film franchises in the cultural zeitgeist, according to Fandom, the world’s largest platform for entertainment fans.
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Disclosure: CNBC and Rotten Tomatoes are divisions of Versant Media.
Streaming and online gaming compete for attention in an environment where patience is thin and alternatives are endless. Platforms should make every interaction feel intentional, fast and easy to recover from. The difference is rarely visual flair. It is how quickly you can start, how clearly the interface responds and how little effort it takes to stay oriented.
For users, good experience design shows up in specific, repeatable moments: resuming exactly where you left off, finding what you want without digging, switching devices without friction and resolving problems without confusion.
Streaming services have set a clear standard for these basics and online gaming increasingly succeeds when it applies the same principles. The sections below break down where streaming and online gaming get user experience right. It focuses on practical design choices that reduce friction, build trust and keep players in control.
Fast Starts and Fewer Friction Points
Top streaming apps assume you want to start immediately. They preload intelligently, keep menus lightweight and save your place without making you think. Good online games follow the same rules. They reduce steps between opening the app and playing and they keep key actions within one or two taps.
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Online gaming delivers a better experience when it follows the same logic. Menus feel lighter when the most common actions are visible early and sessions feel more stable when the interface shows clear feedback during loading or reconnection.
Even short messages like “Connecting” or “Syncing” reduce uncertainty because they explain what is happening. In practice, the experience feels faster because the player is not forced to guess.
Personalization That Serves You
Streaming wins because it adapts to you. It learns what you finish, what you skip and what you return to. Online gaming gets user experience right when it offers the same kind of useful personalization, not noise. The goal is simple: fewer irrelevant prompts and faster access to what matches your habits.
As an example, personalization for an online casino centers on convenience and ease of navigation, because game libraries are typically enormous and some users may be unfamiliar with different game types. Interfaces often surface recently played titles, let you pin favorites and offer filters that narrow large libraries by theme or format.
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When personalization is prioritized, it reduces scrolling fatigue and keeps the interface calm. It also supports a more consistent experience through adjustable language, display preferences and notification controls gathered in one place, so the app behaves the way the player prefers.
Streaming sets a high bar for continuity. You start on a phone, continue on a television and then finish on a laptop with your progress intact. Online gaming delivers a better user experience when it matches that standard with consistent interfaces and synced preferences.
For players, seamless switching depends on two things: account design and device design. Account design means your identity, settings and history follow you reliably. Device design means buttons, text and menus feel familiar even when screen sizes or systems change, for instance, between iOS and Android gaming.
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Pick services that offer a clean cloud sync, clear session management and an easy way to sign out of old devices. Also, check whether accessibility settings travel with your account. If text size and contrast reset each time you change devices, the platform wastes your time and your focus. Continuity is not a luxury. It is respect for the player’s rhythm.
Trust, Safety and Control Built In
The streaming revolution treats account tools as part of the main experience. Billing details, subscription management and device access are usually straightforward to find and clearly labeled. That clarity builds trust because it removes surprises and makes the service feel transparent.
Online gaming earns trust in similar ways. Security features feel more effective when they are visible and easy to understand, including sign-in verification, login history and recovery options that explain each step. Privacy controls also shape comfort.
When permissions and data settings are described plainly, it becomes easier to understand how the platform operates. The experience feels more controlled when the player can manage social features, notifications and visibility without digging through confusing menus.
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Support That Feels Instant and Human
Streaming support feels modern when answers arrive fast and in the right format. Good help systems use short guides, clear examples and searchable topics written for everyday users. Online gaming improves user experience when support follows that pattern and avoids technical language that pushes players away.
Online gaming support works best when it follows the same structure. Self-service resources handle common problems like login issues, payment errors and device pairing without forcing a long back-and-forth. When human support is needed, the experience feels stronger when responses stay specific, explain what will happen next and avoid generic scripts.
Proactive status updates during outages also matter because they reduce wasted effort. In combination, these choices make support feel like an extension of the product rather than a separate obstacle.
The UX Standard Players Should Expect
Streaming and online gaming succeed because they treat user experience as a system, not a collection of visual tricks. Speed, personalization, continuity, transparency and support all work together to keep sessions smooth and understandable.
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For players, the value is practical. Less time goes into searching, adjusting and troubleshooting and more time stays in the experience itself. Clear navigation reduces decision fatigue, consistent layouts prevent misclicks and well-structured settings make the service feel predictable.
Small touches like readable typography, sensible defaults and stable performance further reduce mental load across longer sessions. These patterns also shape expectations beyond entertainment, because the same principles now influence how people judge any digital service.
When platforms respect attention and reduce friction, they feel more reliable and more worth returning to. Over time, that reliability becomes the real differentiator, because it builds confidence, comfort and lasting loyalty.
Women working in technology and financial services are at greater risk of losing their jobs to artificial intelligence and automation than men, according to a new report from the City of London Corporation.
The study found that “mid-career” women – typically with five or more years’ experience – are being disproportionately exposed to job displacement while also being overlooked for emerging digital roles due to rigid hiring practices and automated recruitment screening.
Women remain under-represented across tech and financial and professional services, and the report warns that the rapid adoption of AI risks widening gender inequality in the workforce unless employers rethink how they recruit, retain and retrain staff.
According to the City of London Corporation, many experienced women are being sidelined by CV-screening tools and recruitment processes that fail to account for career breaks linked to childcare or caring responsibilities. Automated systems often prioritise uninterrupted career histories and narrowly defined technical experience, disadvantaging women who have stepped away from work or moved into non-technical roles.
As a result, female applicants are frequently excluded at the earliest stages of hiring, even where their transferable skills and experience could be adapted for digital roles.
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The report calls on employers to shift their focus away from rigid job specifications and towards skills-based hiring, placing greater emphasis on aptitude, adaptability and potential rather than linear career paths.
The research estimates that around 119,000 clerical roles across tech, finance and professional services, positions predominantly held by women, are likely to be displaced by automation over the next decade.
However, the report argues that many of these job losses could be avoided if businesses invest in reskilling rather than redundancy. Retraining affected workers into digital and technical roles could save employers up to £757 million in redundancy costs, while also helping to address persistent skills shortages.
Despite high demand for digital talent, more than 12,000 tech vacancies in financial and professional services went unfilled in 2024, the City of London Corporation found.
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The report urges employers to prioritise reskilling women currently working in administrative and clerical roles, many of whom already possess valuable organisational, analytical and communication skills that could be redeployed into digital positions.
Upskilling programmes would allow firms to retain institutional knowledge while building a more resilient workforce capable of adapting to technological change.
Dame Susan Langley, Mayor of the City of London, said: “By investing in people and supporting the development of digital skills within the workforce, employers can unlock enormous potential and build stronger, more resilient teams. Focusing on talent, adaptability and opportunity will ensure the UK continues to lead on innovation and remains a global hub for digital excellence.”
The findings come amid growing anxiety about the impact of AI on employment. Recent polling by Randstad suggests that around a quarter of UK workers fear their jobs could disappear within five years because of automation.
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The City of London Corporation warns that simply raising wages will not solve the problem. Instead, it predicts the UK’s digital skills shortage could persist until at least 2035, potentially costing the economy more than £10 billion in lost growth if left unaddressed.
Union leaders and business groups have increasingly called for firms to commit to long-term workforce investment, arguing that training and inclusion will be critical to ensuring AI boosts productivity without deepening inequality.
Jamie Young
Jamie is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, bringing over a decade of experience in UK SME business reporting.
Jamie holds a degree in Business Administration and regularly participates in industry conferences and workshops.
When not reporting on the latest business developments, Jamie is passionate about mentoring up-and-coming journalists and entrepreneurs to inspire the next generation of business leaders.
Fox News host Jimmy Failla discusses the ad celebrating ‘made in America’ on ‘Varney & Co.’
With just one game left in the 2025 NFL season, LIDS, the American sports retailer, has rung the numbers and found out which teams and players truly dominate across the United States.
LIDS debuted some visual, data-driven graphics revealing the top-selling merchandise for teams and players in the country, beginning with their top-selling jersey in the NFL.
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The title belongs to none other than Philadelphia Eagles superstar running back Saquon Barkley.
Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles looks prior to the start of an NFL 2025 game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Oct. 19, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Barkley was coming off a season when he joined rare company with over 2,000 yards rushing on his way to helping the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
But another running back wasn’t far behind, as San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey was the second-highest-selling jersey for LIDS. Meanwhile, Barkley’s teammate, quarterback Jalen Hurts was third on the list, with Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb rounding out the top five.
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Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) and Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills) were Nos. 6 and 7, while Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill, Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels and Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud round out the top 10.
As we look across the country, though, the names and teams vary based on the area. However, the Cowboys still appear to be “America’s Team,” at least in LIDS sales.
They were the top-selling team nationally in overall great sales, while the 49ers ranked second. The Eagles, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers were numbers three through five, respectively.
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Looking closely at Texas, fans would think that, since the Cowboys were top-selling nationally, it would be a Cowboys’ player whose jersey sat atop the charts. But it was Stroud and his Texans threads that was the top-selling jersey in the state despite Lamb’s national rank.
In New York, it’s no surprise Allen’s jersey was top-selling, but New Jersey didn’t see any New York Giants or Jets players at the top. Instead, it was Barkley outpacing his old Giants team.
LIDS top-selling jerseys for the 2025 NFL season. (LIDS / Fox News)
Moving more west, Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears had quite the 2025 season under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, making it a no-brainer as to who was the top-selling jersey. Williams proved in his second season that he was the franchise guy they hoped he would be a year ago when he was drafted first overall.
But another quarterback in that NFL Draft has gone further in the playoffs already despite an unfortunate end. Denver Broncos star Bo Nix was the top-selling jersey in Colorado, and he’s earned his stardom after building upon a playoff-bound rookie campaign in 2024.
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Nix broke his ankle in the great overtime win over the Bills in the AFC Divisional Round, ending his season before his team fell to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.
Speaking of the men from the Northeast, quarterback Drake Maye was the bestseller in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire.
As for teams, the Cowboys have quite the following in the South, including the likes of Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas. But the 49ers consume a lot of the Western U.S., with top-selling items in California, Oregon, Utah, New Mexico and Hawaii.
LIDS broke down which team reigned supreme across the U.S. (LIDS / Fox News)
The Chiefs, of course, own the Midwest, as Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska were all over Mahomes and company when they checked out their local LIDS.
These infographic maps are always a fun way to end the season, as it gives insight into who roots for which team every year, and how much that changes based on the always-moving landscape of the NFL standings.
Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran discusses the direction of economic policy after President Donald Trump tapped Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve on ‘Mornings with Maria.’
Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran on Tuesday called for the central bank to make aggressive interest rate cuts this year.
“I’m probably looking for a little bit more than a point of interest rate cuts over the course of the year,” Miran told FOX Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo on “Mornings with Maria.”
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Miran, along with Fed Governor Christopher Waller, was a dissenter at the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) latest meeting on Jan. 28. In a 10-2 vote, the central bank left rates unchanged at its current range of 3.5% to 3.75% after three successive 25 basis point rate cuts in September, October and December. Miran and Waller were in favor of a quarter-point cut.
Stephen Miran, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, following a television interview outside the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Getty Images)
Miran has been supportive of deeper cuts than the FOMC has favored since he joined the board while taking leave from his role in the Trump administration. His term at the Fed technically expired on Jan. 31, though he may remain in his role as governor until his successor is confirmed.
Waller last dissented from an FOMC decision in July, when the Fed held rates steady and was viewed as a contender for the Fed chair nomination before President Donald Trump nominated former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh to lead the central bank. Warsh may fill the vacancy created by the expiration of Miran’s term.
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Kevin Warsh, former governor of the U.S. Federal Reserve, speaks during the American Economic Association (AEA) annual conference in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., on Jan. 6, 2017. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Although the market currently views two 25 basis point rate cuts as the most likely outcome this year per the CME FedWach tool, Miran said that he thinks 100 basis points of cuts are needed this year.
“When I look at underlying inflation, I don’t see a lot of strong supply-demand imbalances of the type that monetary policy should respond to. So I think we’re keeping rates too high, mostly because of quirks of how we measure inflation rather than actual price pressures themselves,” he added.
When asked about Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic suggesting there may not be a need for interest rate cuts this year, Miran said that the Fed has a “very strong diversity of views.”
Stephen Miran, governor of the Federal Reserve, at the Semafor World Economy Summit during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Fall meetings in Washington on Oct. 16, 2025. (Pete Kiehart/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
“I think we’re being fooled by quirks of how we calculate inflation rather than actual price pressures in the economy. I think that’s leading us to leave our fed funds target rate too high,” he said. “Everyone’s got their own view. At the end of the day we’re a committee and we take votes. I’m just one member of that committee, but I’ll continue arguing for my view because I think it’s right.”
Miran was asked about Warsh’s nomination to lead the central bank, telling Bartiromo that “I think Kevin Warsh is a fantastic choice for Fed chairman.”
He went on to say that Warsh is well respected by Wall Street, the investment community and policymakers, and added that “I’m very excited to see the things that he’s going to do with the Federal Reserve.”
Northern mayors have come together in a bid to attract investment to the region
Northern mayors and leaders at The Great North board meeting that took place at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, home of Everton FC in Liverpool (Thursday 4 December). Left to right: Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region; Sir Brendan Foster, Founder of The Great North Run; Kim McGuinness, Chair of The Great North and North East Mayor; Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire; David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire; Cllr Hans Mundry, Leader of Warrington Borough Council, representing the Cheshire and Warrington Shadow Combined Authority Board.(Image: UKREiiF)
An initiative inspired by the Great North Run that brings together Northern mayors offers a unique opportunity to transform the North’s economy, a new report says. The paper from the IPPR North thinktank comes after the launch of the Great North initiative by North East mayor Kim McGuinness last year, which was backed by most other Northern leaders.
IPPR’s paper says The Great North partnership could help bring in more public and private investment by offering a more obvious pipeline of schemes to invest in to both private developers and public finance institutions (PuFins). Last year some of the country’s largest private providers and insurers launched the Sterling 20 group to invest in infrastructure projects and fast growing businesses in the regions, and IPPR says the group believes that “a shortage of money was not the issue but a pipeline of projects to invest in”.
It recommends that a pan-Northern investment prospectus could attract much-needed funds to the region, while previously competing areas coming together could share risk and reward on major schemes. IPPR has called on the Government to engage with the Great North project to fulfill the North’s potential.
The briefing paper also recommends the establishment of a Northern investment board, and the development of a “pipeline of investible propositions”, particularly in the areas of clean energy, transport, digital technologies and advanced manufacturing.
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IPPR highlights strong growth in areas like Greater Manchester and Rotherham, as well as positive recent developments including the AI growth zone in the North East and net zero projects on Teesside. But it says that “regional catch-up in the UK is taking too long and sustained public and private underinvestment is still holding the North back.”
Motion blur of runners at the start line of the Great North Run 2025.(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
IPPR North director Zoë Billingham said: “A strong North stands together. The deepening and broadening of powers to mayors and strategic authorities gives them the opportunity to work more powerfully together.
“The Great North Partnership builds on years of collaboration through different institutions at the pan northern level and provides a renewed opportunity for collaboration. This must be in partnership with the public finance institutions, particularly the National Wealth Fund, which is set up to help drive regional prosperity”.
Ms McGuinness said: “The Great North is about the North of England seizing its economic and political destiny, to unlock a new generation of prosperity, jobs and opportunity for our people and places.
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“We welcome IPPR North’s recommendations on pan-Northern investment and developing a strong pipeline of investible propositions: that’s exactly what we will do, bringing these forward at the Great North Investment Summit to showcase our region on the global stage.
“Now we need Government to match the Great North’s bold ambition to make the North of England a leading investment destination and unlock our massive potential – adding £30bn to the UK economy and creating better living standards for all.”
An investment summit that aims to showcase the North of England on the global stage will be held in May, ahead of the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds. That event attracts investors from around the world and it is hoped the Northern summit will bring in investment to projects in the region.
FuboTV Inc. (FUBO) Q1 2026 Earnings Call February 3, 2026 8:30 AM EST
Company Participants
Ameet Padte – Senior Vice President of FP&A, Corporate Development & Investor Relations David Gandler – Co-founder, CEO & Director John Janedis – Chief Financial Officer
Conference Call Participants
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David Joyce – Seaport Research Partners William Lampen – BTIG, LLC, Research Division Brent Penter – Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division Patrick Sholl – Barrington Research Associates, Inc., Research Division Douglas Arthur – Huber Research Partners, LLC Laura Martin – Needham & Company, LLC, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
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Hello, and thank you for standing by. My name is Tiffany, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Fubo First Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. [Operator Instructions]
I would now like to turn the call over to Ameet Padte, SVP of Financial Planning and Analysis, Corporate Development, Investor Relations. Ameet, please go ahead.
Ameet Padte Senior Vice President of FP&A, Corporate Development & Investor Relations
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Thank you for joining us to discuss Fubo’s First Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results. With me today is David Gandler, Co-Founder and CEO of Fubo; and John Janedis, CFO of Fubo. Full details of our results and additional management commentary are available in our earnings release and letter to shareholders, which can be found on the Investor Relations section of our website at ir.fubo.tv.
Before we begin, let me quickly review the format of today’s call. David will start with some brief remarks on the quarter and our business, and John will cover the financials. Then we will turn the call over to the analysts for Q&A.
I would like to remind everyone that the following discussion may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These include statements regarding our financial condition, anticipated financial
Candle Media co-CEO Kevin Mayer breaks down the trade-offs of Netflix and Paramount’s competing bids for Warner Bros. Discovery on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Disney on Tuesday tapped Josh D’Amaro to succeed veteran CEO Bob Iger, who will retire at the end of the year.
D’Amaro climbed the ranks at the entertainment giant after starting in finance at Disneyland Resort in the late 1990s under Iger.
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Iger announced Tuesday that he will retire from the company at the end of the year, with D’Amaro taking over as CEO effective March 2026. Iger, 74, will retire on Dec. 31, 2026, after having first joined the company in 1996.
D’Amaro will continue to serve in his role as chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products until he becomes CEO.
Josh D’Amaro, chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, speaks during Day 2 of the D23 Brazil: A Disney Experience at Transamerica Expo Center on Nov. 9, 2024, in São Paulo, Brazil. (Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images for Disney)
As chairman, D’Amaro oversees 185,000 cast members, employees and “Imagineers” “who make up the creative engine and long-term growth driver” for Disney, according to his LinkedIn profile. In this role, he also oversees 12 theme parks and 57 resort hotels across six global destinations in the U.S., Europe and Asia, plus a future landmark Disney theme park coming to Abu Dhabi.
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Josh D’Amaro at the SXSW Conference & Festivals in the Austin Convention Center on March 8, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (Adam Kissick/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images)
In this role, he also leads Disney Signature Experiences, which encompasses family travel and leisure experiences beyond the theme parks and includes Disney Cruise Line, which consists of five ships and two island destinations as well as Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney and Storyliving by Disney.
He is also responsible for Disney Consumer Products, which includes its global licensing business and the company’s digital games and apps unit, which was highlighted by its partnership with Epic Games.
Bob Iger, chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Co., arrives for the Allen and Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 8, 2025. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
D’Amaro was tasked with spearheading the company’s strategy to “turbocharge” Disney Experiences, creating experiences for audiences through a 10-year, $60 billion investment in new attractions, lands, hotels, cruise ships and technology. His job also included working with the company’s film and TV studio creative leads, together with Walt Disney Imagineering, to bring Disney’s most popular creative assets to life.
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Disney applauded D’Amaro for being an “instrumental” part in expanding Disney’s iconic franchises through the creation of immersive, story-driven experiences such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Marvel-themed Avengers Campus, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and World of Frozen, according to his bio page.
After graduating from Georgetown University with a business degree, D’Amaro began his career at Disneyland Resort in 1998, according to his bio page on Disney’s website. Since then, he has climbed the ranks and held leadership roles across the U.S. and internationally in finance, business strategy, marketing, creative development and operations. A longtime Disney executive, his previous roles include president of Disneyland Resort and president of Walt Disney World Resort.
A statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse stands in a garden in front of Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World on April 3, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
D’Amaro’s work expands beyond Disney. He currently serves on the National Board of Directors for Make-A-Wish America. The non-profit has been a long-time Disney partner that has granted more than 170,000 wishes in the past 45 years.
California Post opinion editor Joel Pollak joins ‘Varney & Co.’ to discuss the launch of the new conservative outlet, California’s media imbalance and a controversial San Francisco program that spent millions giving alcohol to homeless residents.
California voters appear ready to drive the state’s remaining billionaires toward the exit signs — and many say they are fully aware of the potential consequences.
A new survey found that 60% of likely voters back a one-time wealth tax, even as a majority of those same respondents say the move would spark a business exodus and cost local jobs.
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The February 2026 Nestpoint survey highlights what it describes as a contradiction, with 52% of respondents saying the tax would likely cost jobs and drive entrepreneurs out of California. Even when presented with a “full battery” of economic risks, support for the wealth tax remained at 54%, according to the survey.
The data also suggests that some Golden State voters prioritize perceived fairness over economic concerns, with 42% expressing worries about potential fallout in Silicon Valley and 48% concerned about long-term revenue instability.
Another recent survey by the Mellman Group found 48% voter support for the wealth tax, 38% opposition and 14% undecided. However, Nestpoint’s survey reports a larger sample size, which may explain the higher support levels.
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Voters cast ballots at a polling station in Rickshaw Bagworks store in San Francisco, California, on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. (Getty Images)
Though the initiative has not yet received the required 875,000 signatures to qualify for the November ballot, the proposal — backed by the Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare Workers West — would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of California residents with assets exceeding $1 billion.
The tax would be due in 2027, and taxpayers could spread payments over five years, with additional costs, according to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office.
If voters approve the measure, anyone who was a California resident on Jan. 1, 2026, would owe the tax, according to the proposal’s language.
Former ‘Million Dollar Listing’ star Josh Altman joins ‘Varney & Co.’ to break down California’s slow post-fire rebuilding process and warn that a proposed wealth tax could drive billionaires and jobs out of the state.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom doubled down on his opposition to the tax last week, warning that the plan could reduce funding for schools, public safety and other core services rather than fix the state’s budget challenges.
“I fear the way this has been drafted,” Newsom said at a Bloomberg News event in San Francisco. “I was burdened by the facts. The fact is, it actually will reduce investments in education. It will reduce investment in teachers and librarians, childcare. It will reduce investments in firefighting and police,” he continued. “The impact of a one-time tax does not solve an ongoing structural challenge that has been exacerbated by the impacts of H.R. 1.”
The Corcoran Group agent Julian Johnston exclusively speaks to Fox News Digital about the new wave of California billionaires migrating to South Florida due to a proposed wealth tax.
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Trevor Foreman, an SEIU member and hospital security officer in Sacramento, told Fox News Digital in response: “California’s billionaires pay much lower tax rates than what working families pay out of every paycheck. And soon, massive federal healthcare funding cuts in 2026 will collapse key parts of the California healthcare system.”
“Local hospitals and emergency rooms will shut their doors forever because billionaires insist on paying less than the rest of us,” Foreman claimed.
In addition, Foreman warned that millions of businesses could face higher health insurance premiums, which he said could lead to layoffs across multiple industries as employers absorb rising coverage costs.
