Hey Creatorverse readers,
Curry Barker and Cooper Tomlinson always knew they wanted to make movies and TV shows. But what the duo behind “Obsession” could have never predicted was how their YouTube sketches would train them to make a critically acclaimed movie that had a $17.2 million opening weekend at the box office.
Barker and Tomlinson have been collaborators for years, starting with their surrealist webseries “Roommates.” Their channel — that’s a bad idea — has over 1.1 million YouTube subscribers and 1.3 million TikTok followers. The sketches that appear on this channel were instrumental in establishing the duo’s twisted yet funny voice. But last year’s found-footage horror movie “Milk & Serial,” which was released on YouTube and created with a budget of $800, truly tested their filmmaking abilities.
“Those kinds of exercises have really helped me write low-budget,” Barker, who wrote, directed and edited “Obsession,” told my colleague Casey Loving. “Now I almost want to keep the voice of some of those choices.”
So when producer James Harris approached Barker about potentially making a feature film, he was ready. “Obsession” was made for less than $1 million and has since emerged as the latest creator-helmed hit to dominate the box office. Released by Focus Features, the horror movie has an impressive 95% Rotten Tomatoes score, a 94% audience score and an audience breakdown that’s 59% male and 75% 18-to-35-year-olds — one of the most coveted demographics for theaters.
And this is just the beginning of Barker’s Hollywood career. Focus has already acquired Barker’s follow-up feature “Anything but Ghosts,” which he’s now editing, and A24 has tapped him to reboot the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” franchise.
If three makes a trend, we’re well beyond that. Mark Fischbach’s, aka Markiplier (38.6 million YouTube subscribers), “Iron Lung” grossed $50 millionagainst its $3 million budget. The creator will be releasing his movie on YouTube on May 31. Creator Camp and Baron Ryan’s “Two Sleepy People” grossed over $425,000, or four times its budget, through a guerrilla marketing campaign that didn’t involve any major production companies. And A24 and Kane Parsons’ “Backrooms” is expected to hit between $20 million to 30 million for its opening weekend.
And just last week, Jordan Firstman’s (816,000 Instagram followers) “Club Kid” scored a rights deal reportedly worth $17 million after premiering at Cannes.
There has been a lot of discussion — not just by me — about how creators are the future of Hollywood. More than any study, these premieres are proving the pipeline works and is pretty lucrative.
Now onto the rest.
Kayla Cobb
Senior Reporter [email protected]
What’s New
Byron Allen is considering a creator revenue sharing model for Buzzfeed 2.0
Byron Allen — the Weather Channel owner who recently purchased the majority stake in Buzzfeed in a deal worth $120 million — has big plans for his new investment. One of those big ideas is a revenue sharing option for creators that’s similar to the one YouTube uses. He also wants to bring BuzzFeed and Huffington Post into people’s living rooms through what Allen is describing as a free “super app.”
Some of the biggest creators of today started on Buzzfeed. “Challenge Accepted” host Michelle Khare, “Abbott Elementary” creator Quinta Brunson and the Try Guys all worked for the media organization. On the media side, most members of the independent media company Garbage Day, which is on track to make $1 million in revenue this year, also started there.
Snap, YouTube and TikTok settle a Kentucky social media addiction lawsuit
In legal news, Snap, YouTube and TikTok settled a social media addiction lawsuit that involved a Kentucky school district last Friday. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. However, there are more than 1,200 similar lawsuits against social media companies in the U.S. alone that could cost more than $400 billion in theoretical liability, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.
TikTok taps creator correspondents for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Thirty TikTok creators will be serving as the platform’s correspondents for this year’s FIFA World Cup. These creators, which include Bass (1.2 million followers), Evi Popadinova (1.1 million followers) and Fede Racchi (1.3 million followers), come from four continents, 11 countries and 22 cities. They will provide behind-the-scenes coverage for the massive sporting event.
TikTok isn’t the only social platform betting on the World Cup. X previously announced it will be launching an eight-week original series with Fabrizio Romano that will run through June and July, and soccer star Erling Halaand will debut “Road to World Cup” in June on YouTube.
Platform Updates
Spotify will let podcasters distribute and monetize on Apple Podcasts
Soon Spotify-hosted podcasts will be able to distribute and monetize their video podcasts on Apple Podcasts. That’s because Spotify will be incorporating Apple’s HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) video technology into its platform. There are a lot of tech benefits to this collaboration — less buffering and fewer drops in quality. The streaming giant also announced that podcast creators using hosting providers like Libsyn, Podigee, Audioboom, Audiomeans and Podspace will be able to publish directly on Spotify and earn revenue through the Spotify Partner Program.
In other tech update news, YouTube’s AI deepfake detection tool has now been expanded to all creators who are 18 years or older.
X launches a tool to connect creators to brands, and LinkedIn launches Advice Sessions
X is the latest social media platform to unveil a product that will connect creators to brands. The aptly titledCreator Connect uses AI to help brands find the ideal partners for their campaign goals. This is part of X’s ongoing focus on creators this year. TikTok, Instagram and YouTube already have similar tools.
LinkedIn is also increasing its investment in creators thanks to the launch of Advice Sessions, a new feature that will let creators offer paid one-on-one sessions that can be scheduled through the platform.
Twitch drops a new suite of monetization tools for livestreaming creators
Twitch is giving creators more ways to earn money from their audiences. As part of this new collection of monetization tools, Twitch is rolling out Creator Badge Drops, limited edition badges tied to milestone events; customized power-ups, which let viewers spend in-platform currency to influence what happens during the stream; and more experiments related to its Hype Train offering, a format that amplifies buzzy streams. Livestreaming is its own world, but these investments prove that this is a subculture that’s only getting more popular.
Movers and Shakers
Dhar Mann Studios launches its first podcast, “What Happens Next”
Dhar Mann Studios (27 million YouTube subscribers) launched its first podcast. “What Happens Next”— a phrase that often appears in Mann’s work — follows Mann as he shares unfiltered conversations with interesting people. The show’s first guest was “The Good Place” star and activist Jameela Jamil, who spoke about how she survived the “death” of her reputation.
Mann isn’t the only major creator with a new project. Keith Lee (17.4 million TikTok followers) launched his food tour reality series “Keith Lee All In The Familee” last week on Tubi.
AnthPo says goodbye to his main YouTube page
Anthony Po (2 million YouTube subscribers) said goodbye to his main YouTube channel to focus on his mental health. Few creators understand the internet better than AnthPo, the man behind the viral Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest and several other Nathan Fielder-esque stunts.
Burnout is a major problem among creators that is often under covered. Organizations like Creators 4 Mental Health have been trying to build a more supportive environment for this profession, but it’s an uphill battle.
Webtoon Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation reveal four new animated titled in development
Webtoon Entertainment is partnering with Warner Bros. Animation to adapt four more webcomics into animated series. “The Wolf & Red Riding Hood,” “Vampire Family,” “Sable Curse” and “Snow and Briar (And The Mirror of Seven Sins)” will be joining the growing slate of projects between these two companies. It’s a smart partnership. Popular Webtoon comics are often audience tested and original IP; what more could you want?
@erinhattamer I’ve recently joined this crew and um….some things are adding up #adhd #adhdtiktok #fy #fyp ♬ original sound – Erin Hattamer
Who to Watch
Erin Hattamer
At 1.6 million TikTok followers, Erin Hattamer is a bit better known than the type of creator I like to highlight in this section. But counterpoint? She’s one of the funniest people on the internet right now. Whether she’s just talking about “Heated Rivalry” or making sketches about “Severance,” Hattamer is guaranteed to brighten up your day. Keep an eye on her. She’s exactly the type of person who would thrive as a snarky commentator on a reality show.
Bonus Content
- The Feed Is Fake (via Vulture)
- Dropout CEO Sam Reich on ‘Game Changer’ and How His Labor Secretary Dad Taught Him to Empower Artists (via TheWrap)
- Everything You Do Is Being Recorded (via The Atlantic)
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This report provides a weekly deep dive into the creator economy. It highlights key trends, political and technological developments, data points and industry leaders all with the goal of making you smarter about this constantly evolving space.
The post Creatorverse: Theaters Are Obsessed With Creators Right Now appeared first on TheWrap.
