Entertainment Strategy Guy
@entstrategyguy.bsky.social
Earlier this year, I coined the ‘What About this? Fallacy”, my new name for the tendency of some people when, presented with data they don’t like, asking, “What about this factor?”
The "What About This? Fallacy", Hit Shows Getting Early Renewals, and Two Struggling Streamers
The May-2025 Renewals, Cancellations, Un-Orders and Removals Update Pt. 1
entertainment.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Earlier this year, I coined the ‘What About this? Fallacy”, my new name for the tendency of some people when, presented with data they don’t like, asking, “What about this factor?”
Reposted by Entertainment Strategy Guy
Instead of AI, I think the reason we’ve seen Hollywood job losses is simple: the streamers are aggressively outsourcing production to overseas places.
Take Netflix’s Death By Lightning. All American cast/above the line talent, shot entirely in Hungary.
Take Netflix’s Death By Lightning. All American cast/above the line talent, shot entirely in Hungary.
Death by Lightning - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 24, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Instead of AI, I think the reason we’ve seen Hollywood job losses is simple: the streamers are aggressively outsourcing production to overseas places.
Take Netflix’s Death By Lightning. All American cast/above the line talent, shot entirely in Hungary.
Take Netflix’s Death By Lightning. All American cast/above the line talent, shot entirely in Hungary.
Digging deep into history on the day after Warner Bros Discovery bid submissions to ask…how many major studios do we have?
entertainment.substack.com/p/there-have...
entertainment.substack.com/p/there-have...
There Have Always Been Six Movie Studios...Until Now
Why the End of Warner Bros Is a Break from History…And What Happens Next
entertainment.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Digging deep into history on the day after Warner Bros Discovery bid submissions to ask…how many major studios do we have?
entertainment.substack.com/p/there-have...
entertainment.substack.com/p/there-have...
My latest newsletter has four stories in one:
- A quick update on Angel (FKA Studios)’ financials, that most trades missed.
- A TV show may have been "quiet cancelled" by Netflix and no one’s heard about it yet.
- I estimate how much revenue Omaha Productions actually made.
- A quick update on Angel (FKA Studios)’ financials, that most trades missed.
- A TV show may have been "quiet cancelled" by Netflix and no one’s heard about it yet.
- I estimate how much revenue Omaha Productions actually made.
Did Netflix Quiet Cancel Starting 5?
The Streaming Ratings Report for 13-Oct-2025
entertainment.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:27 AM
My latest newsletter has four stories in one:
- A quick update on Angel (FKA Studios)’ financials, that most trades missed.
- A TV show may have been "quiet cancelled" by Netflix and no one’s heard about it yet.
- I estimate how much revenue Omaha Productions actually made.
- A quick update on Angel (FKA Studios)’ financials, that most trades missed.
- A TV show may have been "quiet cancelled" by Netflix and no one’s heard about it yet.
- I estimate how much revenue Omaha Productions actually made.
I feel like any article saying AI is taking jobs in Hollywood needs to grapple with the costs. I NEVER read about whether AI companies targeting tinsel town are making or losing money.
This @edzitron.com article is the required reading.
www.wheresyoured.at/oai_docs/
This @edzitron.com article is the required reading.
www.wheresyoured.at/oai_docs/
Exclusive: Here's How Much OpenAI Spends On Inference and Its Revenue Share With Microsoft
As with my Anthropic exclusive from a few weeks ago, though this feels like a natural premium piece, I decided it was better to publish on my free one so that you could all enjoy it. If you liked or f...
www.wheresyoured.at
November 13, 2025 at 5:24 PM
I feel like any article saying AI is taking jobs in Hollywood needs to grapple with the costs. I NEVER read about whether AI companies targeting tinsel town are making or losing money.
This @edzitron.com article is the required reading.
www.wheresyoured.at/oai_docs/
This @edzitron.com article is the required reading.
www.wheresyoured.at/oai_docs/
It’s not often that a major streamers follows my advice to a “t”, but Paramount Skydance did! I didn’t think they should sell off assets (they haven’t yet) and I wanted them to be aggresive...and they are!
So I ranked their strategy moves...
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
So I ranked their strategy moves...
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
Paramount Skydance Is Being Bold (Which I Love!)...And They Made a Huge Mistake
The Most Important Story of the Week for 5-Nov-2025
entertainment.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:18 PM
It’s not often that a major streamers follows my advice to a “t”, but Paramount Skydance did! I didn’t think they should sell off assets (they haven’t yet) and I wanted them to be aggresive...and they are!
So I ranked their strategy moves...
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
So I ranked their strategy moves...
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
Reposted by Entertainment Strategy Guy
Based on analysis of years of revenues, losses and funding, since 2023, OpenAI has taken in $28.6bn in cash and had $13.7bn in losses.
However, reports say OpenAI ended 1H 2025 with $9.6bn in cash - suggesting OpenAI's losses are billions higher than reported.
www.wheresyoured.at/where-is-ope...
However, reports say OpenAI ended 1H 2025 with $9.6bn in cash - suggesting OpenAI's losses are billions higher than reported.
www.wheresyoured.at/where-is-ope...
Where Is OpenAI's Money Going?
Soundtrack: Queens of the Stone Age - Song For The Dead
Editor's Note: The original piece had a mathematical error around burnrate, it's been fixed.
A few days ago, Sam Altman said that OpenAI’s rev...
www.wheresyoured.at
November 7, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Based on analysis of years of revenues, losses and funding, since 2023, OpenAI has taken in $28.6bn in cash and had $13.7bn in losses.
However, reports say OpenAI ended 1H 2025 with $9.6bn in cash - suggesting OpenAI's losses are billions higher than reported.
www.wheresyoured.at/where-is-ope...
However, reports say OpenAI ended 1H 2025 with $9.6bn in cash - suggesting OpenAI's losses are billions higher than reported.
www.wheresyoured.at/where-is-ope...
Behind the paywall in my latest article, I discussed the “big” F1 news: they’re heading to Apple TV+.
In short, yikes!
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
In short, yikes!
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
Paramount Skydance Is Being Bold (Which I Love!)...And They Made a Huge Mistake
The Most Important Story of the Week for 5-Nov-2025
entertainment.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Behind the paywall in my latest article, I discussed the “big” F1 news: they’re heading to Apple TV+.
In short, yikes!
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
In short, yikes!
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
Substack rolled out A/B testing of headlines. Am I fan of this new feature?
Heck no!
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
Heck no!
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
Paramount Skydance Is Being Bold (Which I Love!)...And They Made a Huge Mistake
The Most Important Story of the Week for 5-Nov-2025
entertainment.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Substack rolled out A/B testing of headlines. Am I fan of this new feature?
Heck no!
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
Heck no!
entertainment.substack.com/p/paramount-...
What’s bigger, the NFL or Wednesday?
Find out in my latest. Plus tons more on the “binge vs weekly” debate.
entertainment.substack.com/p/streamings...
Find out in my latest. Plus tons more on the “binge vs weekly” debate.
entertainment.substack.com/p/streamings...
Streaming's Two Biggest Shows—Football and Wednesday—Dominate the Charts!
The Streaming Ratings Report for 1-Sep and 8-Sep-2025
entertainment.substack.com
October 14, 2025 at 10:02 PM
What’s bigger, the NFL or Wednesday?
Find out in my latest. Plus tons more on the “binge vs weekly” debate.
entertainment.substack.com/p/streamings...
Find out in my latest. Plus tons more on the “binge vs weekly” debate.
entertainment.substack.com/p/streamings...
Let's be honest: I'm doing this wrong.
If I wanted to go viral, I'd be all "hype hype hype!!!" This thing is the next big thing and you need it now!
But I just can't do that to my readers. I give you what the data actually says.
If I wanted to go viral, I'd be all "hype hype hype!!!" This thing is the next big thing and you need it now!
But I just can't do that to my readers. I give you what the data actually says.
How Popular is Anime in America?
A Deep Dive into the Hype and Data For This Buzzy Genre
entertainment.substack.com
October 1, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Let's be honest: I'm doing this wrong.
If I wanted to go viral, I'd be all "hype hype hype!!!" This thing is the next big thing and you need it now!
But I just can't do that to my readers. I give you what the data actually says.
If I wanted to go viral, I'd be all "hype hype hype!!!" This thing is the next big thing and you need it now!
But I just can't do that to my readers. I give you what the data actually says.
Just a jam packed Streaming Ratings report this week, but we start with a fun question...
entertainment.substack.com/p/has-kpop-d...
entertainment.substack.com/p/has-kpop-d...
Has KPop Demon Hunters Passed Encanto For Biggest Streaming Film of All Time?
The Streaming Ratings Report for 18-Aug and 25-Aug
entertainment.substack.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Just a jam packed Streaming Ratings report this week, but we start with a fun question...
entertainment.substack.com/p/has-kpop-d...
entertainment.substack.com/p/has-kpop-d...
Why do any of us writers do what we do?
To hopefully one day coin a term that catches on. Today, I try my hand at my latest:
The Taylor Swift Data Fallacy.
Once you see it, you'll see it EVERYWHERE.
entertainment.substack.com/p/introducin...
To hopefully one day coin a term that catches on. Today, I try my hand at my latest:
The Taylor Swift Data Fallacy.
Once you see it, you'll see it EVERYWHERE.
entertainment.substack.com/p/introducin...
Introducing…The Taylor Swift Data Fallacy
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy.
entertainment.substack.com
September 24, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Why do any of us writers do what we do?
To hopefully one day coin a term that catches on. Today, I try my hand at my latest:
The Taylor Swift Data Fallacy.
Once you see it, you'll see it EVERYWHERE.
entertainment.substack.com/p/introducin...
To hopefully one day coin a term that catches on. Today, I try my hand at my latest:
The Taylor Swift Data Fallacy.
Once you see it, you'll see it EVERYWHERE.
entertainment.substack.com/p/introducin...
The launch of ESPN (the new digital D2C offering) and Fox One say...the sports bundle has returned! Or has it?
That plus thoughts on Google's huge win, Nielsen (rumored) demise, price hikes and more...
entertainment.substack.com/p/the-sports...
That plus thoughts on Google's huge win, Nielsen (rumored) demise, price hikes and more...
entertainment.substack.com/p/the-sports...
The (Sports) Bundle Lives!!!
The Most Important Story of the Week for 5-Sep-2025
entertainment.substack.com
September 9, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The launch of ESPN (the new digital D2C offering) and Fox One say...the sports bundle has returned! Or has it?
That plus thoughts on Google's huge win, Nielsen (rumored) demise, price hikes and more...
entertainment.substack.com/p/the-sports...
That plus thoughts on Google's huge win, Nielsen (rumored) demise, price hikes and more...
entertainment.substack.com/p/the-sports...
It's an unpleasant task, but somebody's gotta do it: here are the flops, bombs and misses on streaming in the first half of 2025.
entertainment.substack.com/p/36-of-the-...
entertainment.substack.com/p/36-of-the-...
36 of the Biggest Film Flops in the First Half of 2025
EntStrategyGuy’s 2025 Viewership Report
entertainment.substack.com
September 3, 2025 at 7:57 PM
It's an unpleasant task, but somebody's gotta do it: here are the flops, bombs and misses on streaming in the first half of 2025.
entertainment.substack.com/p/36-of-the-...
entertainment.substack.com/p/36-of-the-...
Time to check in on KPop...with some comps.
Here's my favorite chart:
entertainment.substack.com/p/a-deep-div...
Here's my favorite chart:
entertainment.substack.com/p/a-deep-div...
August 26, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Time to check in on KPop...with some comps.
Here's my favorite chart:
entertainment.substack.com/p/a-deep-div...
Here's my favorite chart:
entertainment.substack.com/p/a-deep-div...
Reposted by Entertainment Strategy Guy
Are romcoms truly back, or just entering Hollywood’s genre hype cycle? @entstrategyguy.bsky.social looks past the meet cutes to break down why box office returns lag, how streamers are keeping the spark alive, and what new formats could carry the genre forward theankler.com/p/dont-fall-...
August 21, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Are romcoms truly back, or just entering Hollywood’s genre hype cycle? @entstrategyguy.bsky.social looks past the meet cutes to break down why box office returns lag, how streamers are keeping the spark alive, and what new formats could carry the genre forward theankler.com/p/dont-fall-...
I wanted to know...are screenwriters using AI to write scripts?
Here's what I found...
(Hint: It's good news for screenwriters.)
entertainment.substack.com/p/i-tested-w...
Here's what I found...
(Hint: It's good news for screenwriters.)
entertainment.substack.com/p/i-tested-w...
I Tested Whether Screenwriters Are Using AI Right Now...
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy.
entertainment.substack.com
August 21, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I wanted to know...are screenwriters using AI to write scripts?
Here's what I found...
(Hint: It's good news for screenwriters.)
entertainment.substack.com/p/i-tested-w...
Here's what I found...
(Hint: It's good news for screenwriters.)
entertainment.substack.com/p/i-tested-w...
The data for the first half of 2025 is in and the result is clear:
The TV bubble popped.
Not "streaming", since it happened across US, global, scripted, unscripted, broadcast, you name it.
Actually, film decreased more than anything!
entertainment.substack.com/p/the-tv-bub...
The TV bubble popped.
Not "streaming", since it happened across US, global, scripted, unscripted, broadcast, you name it.
Actually, film decreased more than anything!
entertainment.substack.com/p/the-tv-bub...
July 31, 2025 at 10:12 PM
The data for the first half of 2025 is in and the result is clear:
The TV bubble popped.
Not "streaming", since it happened across US, global, scripted, unscripted, broadcast, you name it.
Actually, film decreased more than anything!
entertainment.substack.com/p/the-tv-bub...
The TV bubble popped.
Not "streaming", since it happened across US, global, scripted, unscripted, broadcast, you name it.
Actually, film decreased more than anything!
entertainment.substack.com/p/the-tv-bub...
I read a lot that some smaller studios can save Hollywood. But the arguments for them are often built around "ROI", but when you look at total revenue, it's a different picture:
July 23, 2025 at 2:47 PM
I read a lot that some smaller studios can save Hollywood. But the arguments for them are often built around "ROI", but when you look at total revenue, it's a different picture:
Sigh. Different social media site, same negative energy.
Tired: "La Streaming War devient plus concurrentielle parce que Netflix occupe moins de places dans le top 10 Nielsen qu'avant".
Wired: "Netflix sort beaucoup moins de séries US qu'avant et donc mécaniquement, elles prennent moins de places dans le Top 10 hebdomadaire."
Wired: "Netflix sort beaucoup moins de séries US qu'avant et donc mécaniquement, elles prennent moins de places dans le Top 10 hebdomadaire."
July 22, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Sigh. Different social media site, same negative energy.
Reposted by Entertainment Strategy Guy
YouTube has had a banner year. But lawsuits, legislation, AI-driven competition and platform fatigue all threaten the next phase. @entstrategyguy.bsky.social outlines what could come next: www.theankler.com/p/youtubes-w...
July 17, 2025 at 9:11 PM
YouTube has had a banner year. But lawsuits, legislation, AI-driven competition and platform fatigue all threaten the next phase. @entstrategyguy.bsky.social outlines what could come next: www.theankler.com/p/youtubes-w...