The counterprogramming of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office. And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, “Saw Patrol” ). This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the Broadway musical adaptation “Wicked” opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic “Gladiator II.” Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy — it was already halfway there before the name game began: “Wickiator,” “Wadiator,” “Gladwick” and even the eyebrow raising “Gladicked” have all been suggested. “'Glicked' rolls off the tongue a little bit more,” actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening of “Gladiator II” this week. “I think we should all band around ‘Glicked.’ It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it.” As with “Barbenheimer," as reductive as it might seem, “Glicked” also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging muscles. Both films topped Fandango’s most anticipated holiday movie survey, where 65% of respondents said that they were interested in the “Glicked” double feature. Theaters big and small are also pulling out the stops with movie-themed tie-ins. B&B Theaters will have Roman guards tearing tickets at some locations and Maximus popcorn tubs. Marcus Theaters is doing Oz photo ops and friendship bracelet-making. Alamo Drafthouse is leaning into the singalong aspect (beware, though, not all theaters are embracing this) and the punny drinks like “Defying Gravi-Tea.” “Rather than it being in competition, I think they’re in conversation,” “Gladiator II” star Paul Mescal said. “This industry needs a shot in the arm. Those films gave it last year. We hope to do it this year.” And the hope is that audiences will flock to theaters to be part of this moment as well. It's a sorely needed influx of could-be blockbusters into a marketplace that's still at an 11% deficit from last year and down 27.2% from 2019, according to data from Comscore. “Competition is good for the marketplace. It’s good for consumers,” said Michael O'Leary, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners. “Having two great movies coming out at the same time is simply a multiplier effect.” “Glicked” is currently tracking for a combined North American debut in the $165 million range, with “Wicked” forecast to earn around $100 million (up from the $80 million estimates a few weeks ago) and “Gladiator II” pegged for the $65 million range. “Barbenheimer” shattered its projections last July. Going into that weekend, “Barbie” had been pegged for $90 million and “Oppenheimer” around $40 million. Ultimately, they brought in a combined $244 million in that first outing, and nearly $2.4 billion by the end of their runs. It’s possible “Glicked” will exceed expectations, too. And it has the advantage of another behemoth coming close behind: “Moana 2,” which opens just five days later on the Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday. “Glickedana” triple feature anyone? “These are 10 important days,” O'Leary said. “It’s going to show the moviegoing audience that there’s a lot of compelling stuff out there for them to see.” There are infinite caveats to the imperfect comparison to “Barbenheimer,” as well. “Wicked” is a “Part One.” Musicals carry their own baggage with moviegoers, even those based on wildly successful productions (ahem, “Cats”). “Gladiator II” got a head start and opened internationally last weekend. In fact, in the U.K. it played alongside “Paddington in Peru,” where that double was pegged “Gladdington.” “Gladiator” reviews, while positive, are a little more divided than the others. And neither directors Ridley Scott nor Jon M. Chu has the built-in box office cache that Christopher Nolan’s name alone carries at the moment. The new films also cost more than “Barbie” ($145 million) and “Oppenheimer” ($100 million). According to reports, “Gladiator II” had a $250 million price tag; “Wicked” reportedly cost $150 million to produce (and that does not include the cost of the second film, due next year). The narrative, though, has shifted away from “who will win the weekend.” Earlier this year, Chu told The Associated Press that he loves that this is a moment where “we can root for all movies all the time.” Close behind are a bevy of Christmas releases with double feature potential, but those feel a little more niche. There’s the remake of “Nosferatu,” the Nicole Kidman kink pic “Babygirl” and the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown.” The internet can’t even seem to decide on its angle for that batch of contenders, and none exactly screams blockbuster. Sometimes the joy is just in the game, however. Some are sticking with the one-name mashup (“Babyratu”); others are suggesting that the fact that two of the movies feature real-life exes (Timothée Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp) is enough reason for a double feature. And getting people talking is half the battle. When in doubt, or lacking a catchy name, there’s always the default: “This is my Barbenheimer.” Associated Press journalist John Carucci and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed reporting.
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The Philippine went up six spots to 63 rd place out of 133 economies with a score of 49.93 (out of a possible 100) in the 2024 edition of Network Readiness Index (NRI) by the nonprofit research organization Portulans Institute . The index assesses the application and impact of information and communication technology in economies around the world based on four pillars: technology, people, governance, and impact.Is ‘Glicked’ the new ‘Barbenheimer’? ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ collide in theatersAP Trending SummaryBrief at 10:31 p.m. EST
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What is Twitter Wrapped 2024? Here's how you can be a part of this latest trend on XKey Leadership Appointments Bring New Skills and Capabilities to Organization EMERYVILLE, Calif. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (Kyverna), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cell therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases, announced the recent appointments of Dan Maziasz as Chief Business Officer, Cara Bauer as Chief Human Resources Officer, and Tracy Rossin as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Communications and Investor Relations. "I'm pleased to welcome three industry leaders to our Kyverna team," said Warner Biddle , Chief Executive Officer of Kyverna. "Dan, Cara and Tracy bring important new skills and capabilities to Kyverna as we continue to support the company's next phase of growth and work to bring a transformative change to patients living with severe autoimmune diseases." Mr. Maziasz brings over 25 years of leadership and business experience across several leading biotechnology and large pharmaceutical companies. Mr. Maziasz most recently served as Chief Business Officer at Atara Biotherapeutics, the first company in the world to receive regulatory approval of an allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy. At Atara, Mr. Maziasz led various corporate initiatives including strategic planning, licensing transactions with industry partners, and research collaborations with academic groups. Before his time at Atara, Mr. Maziasz was Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Business Development at Kite Pharma, a global cell therapy leader, prior to its acquisition by Gilead Sciences. Mr. Maziasz also spent more than a decade at Amgen, where he held roles of increasing responsibility in the US, Europe , and Asia across business development, corporate strategy, finance, and commercial functions. Ms. Bauer brings more than 25 years of experience in global human resources leadership to Kyverna, having served most recently as Global Head of Human Resources at Kite, a Gilead Company, where she oversaw all HR strategy and operations during a period of hypergrowth and global expansion which strengthened the company's leadership position in cell therapy. Prior to this role, she served as the Global Head of HR for the Entertainment Division at Riot Games where she worked directly with the founders to build an Entertainment Studio separate from the core gaming business. Ms. Bauer has also held various HR leadership roles at companies such as Netflix, Amgen, Gartner and Novo Nordisk. Ms. Rossin brings more than 20 years of strategic communications experience to Kyverna, having most recently served as the Head of Public Affairs at Kite, where she was responsible for leading corporate, product and employee communications in addition to patient advocacy. Prior to this role, she served as Vice President, Global Head of Communications at Innate Pharma, an oncology-focused biotech company, where she led both corporate and financial communications. Ms. Rossin also spent more than 12 years at AstraZeneca/MedImmune, where she held multiple U.S. and global communications roles for key therapeutic areas across AstraZeneca's portfolio before serving as the Head of Corporate Affairs at MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca. Before joining AstraZeneca, she held various positions at global public relations agencies working with corporate and healthcare related clients. Inducement Grant In connection with the appointment of Mr. Maziasz as Kyverna's Chief Business Officer, on December 9, 2024 , Kyverna granted Mr. Maziasz an option to purchase 350,000 shares of its common stock (Option). The Option was granted pursuant to the Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. 2024 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, as approved by the Compensation Committee of Kyverna's Board of Directors on September 14, 2024 , and was granted as an inducement material to Mr. Maziasz's employment with Kyverna in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The exercise price of the Option was $4.86 , the closing price of Kyverna's common stock on December 9, 2024 , the date of grant. The Option will vest over four years, with 25% of the total number of shares subject to the Option vesting on the one-year anniversary of Mr. Maziasz's appointment and 1/48th of the total number of shares subject to the Option vesting monthly thereafter, subject in each case to Mr. Maziasz's continued service to Kyverna on each vesting date. Kyverna is providing this information in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). About Kyverna Therapeutics Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: KYTX) is a patient-centered, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Our lead CAR T-cell therapy candidate, KYV-101 is advancing through clinical development with sponsored clinical trials across two broad areas of autoimmune disease: rheumatology and neurology, including Phase 2 trials for stiff-person syndrome, multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis, a Phase 1/2 trial for systemic sclerosis, and two ongoing multi-center Phase 1/2 trials in the United States and Germany for patients with lupus nephritis. Kyverna's pipeline includes next-generation CAR T-cell therapies in both autologous and allogeneic formats with properties intended to be well suited for use in B cell-driven autoimmune diseases. For more information, please visit https://kyvernatx.com . Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute "forward-looking statements." The words, without limitation, "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these or similar identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, those related to: the potential impact of the clinical outcomes from the ongoing clinical programs; the potential impact of the new data on the treatment efficacy and safety profile of KYV-101; the potential that the results of the ongoing trials could drastically change the treatment landscape for the targeted autoimmune diseases; Kyverna's goals to develop certain paradigm-shifting treatment options; the potential for KYV-101 to provide durable, immunosuppressant-free remission for autoimmune disease patients; Kyverna's beliefs about the differentiated properties of KYV-101; and Kyverna's clinical trials, investigator-initiated trials and named-patient activities. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties related to market conditions, and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Kyverna's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that Kyverna has filed or may subsequently file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on the current expectations of Kyverna's management team and speak only as of the date hereof, and Kyverna specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: Investors: InvestorRelations@kyvernatx.com Media: media@kyvernatx.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kyverna-therapeutics-strengthens-leadership-team-to-accelerate-next-phase-of-growth-302331659.html SOURCE Kyverna Therapeutics Best trending stories from the week. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. You may occasionally receive promotions exclusive discounted subscription offers from the Roswell Daily Record. Feel free to cancel any time via the unsubscribe link in the newsletter you received. You can also control your newsletter options via your user dashboard by signing in.
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The first thing I do each morning is check my watch — not for the time but for my sleep score. As a runner, when the glowing red letters say my score — and my training readiness — are poor, I feel an instant dread. Regardless, I scroll on, inspecting my heart rate variability and stress level — snapshots that influence the tone I carry into the day. What does dreading my smartwatch’s interpretation of my athletic competence say about me? That I have become a pawn in the gamification of health data. Last year, electronics represented one of the largest proportions of total Black Friday sales, according to Deloitte. That’s when I bought my first smartwatch, a Garmin. This year, I’m throwing it away. I was the perfect target. For several years, I had been preparing to run my first marathon. I watched fitness influencers, ultramarathoners and Olympians optimize their training with meticulous tracking and high-tech devices. I wanted in. I got the watch and joined Strava, a social media network for athletes. Once I had a tracker on, sleep became sacred. I traded late-night socializing for it, confident that I’d cash in on race day. I built my day around my nights, transfixed by a false sense of control over my circadian rhythm. Sleep, just like my running routine, had slowly morphed from a bodily function into a technological token of productivity. I was hooked, emboldened by the illusion that I was training intuitively. I pushed hard when my Garmin nudged me, and even harder when I wanted to prove its metrics wrong. I began to run more for the PR (personal record) badge and “your fastest 5k!” notifications than for mental clarity and solitude. I ran because I loved it, and because I loved it, I fell prey to the Strava-fication of it. Suddenly, I was no longer running for myself. I was running for public consumption. I realized this only when it literally became painfully obvious. An MRI found that the lingering pain I’d been ignoring in my heels — something my watch hadn’t picked up on — was caused by four running-induced stress fractures. Recovering from the injury forced me to be sedentary, and during that time I’ve thought a lot about the app-ification of exercise culture. I’ve realized that health optimization tools — the ones marketed as necessary for better sleep, a lower resting heart rate, higher VO2 max (a measure of how much oxygen your body absorbs) and so on — are designed to profit off our fitness anxiety. We track ourselves this way and that way, obsessing over our shortcomings to no apparent end. In doing so, we are deprogrammed from listening to innate physiological signals and reprogrammed to create shadow experiences such as posting our detailed workout stats or running paths on digital walls that no one is looking at. I’ve also learned that if you stop tracking, you will feel marginally but measurably better. I don’t deny that today’s fitness gadgets are incredibly alluring, and in many ways tracking can be useful for training. I am convinced, however, that overreliance on the data collected by devices and apps — and the comparisons we draw from sharing it — can quickly corrupt and commodify what I find to be the true essence of running: being present. When we aren’t tracking, when we are just doing, we can begin to reap the dull yet profound psychological benefits of endurance sports — the repetitive silence, the consistent failure — that can’t be captured in a post or monetized. And when we endure the mundane and difficult aspects of a sport, over and over, we often make gains that are mindful as well as physical, becoming more aware of how and what we pay attention to. This is no small task. It takes discipline to remain aware, present and undistracted. Exercise is a rare opportunity to allow our bodies’ movement to color our thoughts from one minute to the next. When we’re in motion, we don’t need to analyze our health metrics. We can learn to accept the moment and be humbled by our limitations. Gift-giving season attempted to convince you that you need devices to make your exercise more effective and efficient. There were bright and beautiful advertisements featuring famous athletes. There were a sleeker smartwatch and a cutting-edge GPS tracking shoe sole like that one Instagram keeps showing you. Be skeptical. Freeing yourself, even temporarily, from the smartwatch or smartphone or smart-fill-in-the-blank that is tracking your every move is a challenge worth taking on. Because every walk or run or ride is a new story, and without fitness devices the path remains ours to choose.These holiday gifts change the game when building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more
Smith also added eight rebounds and four steals for the Paladins (9-1). Garrett Hien scored 10 points while going 5 of 10 and 0 of 4 from the free-throw line and added seven rebounds. Nick Anderson shot 3 for 9 from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. The Tigers (7-4) were led by Xaivian Lee, who posted 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Princeton also got 13 points and four assists from Dalen Davis. Caden Pierce also had 11 points and four steals. NEXT UP Up next for Furman is a Saturday matchup with South Carolina State at home, and Princeton hosts Monmouth on Tuesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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