☀️'Happy Gilmore,' 'KPop' Break More NETFLIX Records
APPLE sets ‘Presumed Innocent’ cast / 2024 Studio CEO 💰 roundup / DISNEY Upfronts report
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LINKEDIN here if ya like or email me at seanmcnultynyc@gmail.com), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
Where I’m often asked if I use AI to put together The Wakeup — I do not.
Yes, I’m sure there are some “efficiencies” that could be gained (is it possible to lay oneself off? 🤔), but believe it or not — I actually give a shit about accurate details in this newsletter, and I always say I’d just have to re-check most things AI would give me anyway . . . which kinda defeats the purpose.
But it’s heartening to know our American judicial system appears to have a different take on the topic, or at least a judge in New Jersey (ahh, geez 🤦♂️) seems to have.
While AI usage was not confirmed, Judge Julien Xavier Neals chose to withdraw his decision in a pharma case because it doesn’t seem like he checked his work before he rendered said decision to make sure there were no, ya know . . . made up quotes, or misstating of results of other court cases in it — hallmarks of AI usage that one of the lawyers in the case pointed out in a letter to the judge before he withdrew his decision.
Eh, what’s the harm in some made-up facts in a judicial decision affecting an individual’s or a business’ livelihood, anyway, amirite?
BUT: I’m sure kids will totally use the new CHATGPT “Study Mode” that OPENAI is releasing, which helps you use your own reasoning to find answers vs. just giving them to you.
THEN: AI bot Claude’s dad, ANTHROPIC, is now looking at a new fundraising round valuing it at $170B, up from $150B earlier this week because . . . I mean, why not? It’s all gonna have a massive correction at some point anyway!
The significantly AMAZON-backed company has an annual run rate revenue of $4B, or about the same as LIONSGATE.
Note: It did not actually make $4B in the past 12 months, but that’s what it would have made if it had the same revenue over the past year that it had recently.
AND: Bradley Cooper’s next directorial outing starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern, Is This Thing On?, will close the NYFF on Oct. 10 with its world premiere. No release plan yet for the SEARCHLIGHT pic.
PLUS: Montreal’s JFL festival set its headliners for September, including Gabriel Iglesias, Maria Bamford, Al Madrigal, Big Jay Oakerson, Ron Funches and Todd Barry.
OH: You know Ozempic is making times tough when the HERSHEY folks and MONDELEZ folks are setting their snacking rivalry aside to join forces. Enjoy your fall sugar shopping, America!
AH: About 100 NYC weed dispensaries may need to move because of a misreading of legislation in terms of how close they could be to schools — ya know, I’m just gonna let y’all make your own stoner joke on this one.
WAKEUP POLL RESULTS
Yeah, the 45% Happy winners here were definitely doing the bull dance . . . feelin’ the flow.
Although as I’ll dive into below — it did just miss a top accolade and has some curious disparities globally.
Overall though, it’s combining with the KPop phenomenon to set other records of note — and I’ll also look at how KPop continues to confound NETFLIX conventional widsom.
WAKEUP HOUSEKEEPING
COMCAST Q2 earnings are tomorrow morning, so the newsletter will be a little later than usual.
Happy Gilmore 2 gets 🤏 close to NETFLIX record, but new KPop surge sets new ones
Ya hate to see it . . . but yeah, Happy 2 fell just 100k views short of a major all-time NETFLIX record last weekend.