Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 🍿 Hollywood youth movement
• 🧑‍⚖️ Florida sues OpenAI
• 🏈 Myles Garrett traded

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.71-minute read (988 words).

Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here for free.

"Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it."

–Gilda Radner (1946-1989)

Indie horror film Backrooms dominated the box office this past weekend, topping the charts both domestically ($81.4 million) and globally ($118 million) en route to the biggest opening in A24 history.

The horror film—spawned from a YouTube series which itself was inspired by a copypasta forum horror story—is helping change the perception of what can be a massive hit in the industry alongside other similar hits.

It’s a young person’s game

Backrooms director Kane Parsons, 20, whose YouTube videos helped propel the horror concept to internet fame, is now the youngest director to helm a #1 box office film globally.

Parsons’ film is the latest in a creator-driven wave of filmmaking that’s seen success in Hollywood so far this year.

• Obsession, a horror film written and directed by 26-year-old YouTube/TikTok star Curry Barker, has already earned $104.8 million domestically and $148 million worldwide after just two weekends.
• Iron Lung, the self-financed indie sci-fi horror film by YouTuber Markiplier, earned $51.2 million worldwide on just a ~$3 million budget earlier this year.

The youth movement extends to theaters. For Backrooms, exit polling shows 86% of the film’s domestic audience was under 35, while two-thirds were under 25. The numbers tell a similar tale for Obsession, where ~75% of the audience was under 35.

Notable quote: "I've covered box office results literally hundreds of times in my career. The mind-blowing success of 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession' this weekend easily ranks in the top 1% as far as long-term significance for the movie business," said the WSJ’s Ben Fritz.

The Vuori Halo Essential Wideleg Pant is a fan favorite for being soft, versatile, and endlessly wearable. With three inseam options, a stylish wideleg fit, and multiple colors available, there's a pair to flatter everyone.

Crafted with Vuori’s signature DreamKnit™ performance stretch knit, it’s their softest, most-loved pant. Extra-plush feel, 4-way stretch, and a premium brushed jersey knit. Perfect for wherever your day takes you.

Congratulations, your new favorite “cozy pants” are now wearable in public.

Florida’s attorney general filed a civil suit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman yesterday accusing the AI giant of prioritizing profits over the safety of residents.

The Sunshine State is now the first to sue over ChatGPT’s allegedly dangerous design.

Turning a blind A-eye

In a news conference, AG James Uthmeier accused OpenAI of suppressing internal safety warnings and deceiving users about the true nature and dangers of the product.

• The complaint alleges that ChatGPT causes behavioral addiction and cognitive harm to minors, and collects their personal data without proper parental oversight.
• It also references two separate shootings in Florida where the alleged gunmen were reported to have asked ChatGPT questions while planning their crimes.

OpenAI’s response: In a statement, the company said ChatGPT is a general-purpose tool used by hundreds of millions of people every day for legitimate purposes. OpenAI also noted that its models repeatedly encouraged both suspected shooters to seek real-world support, including from mental health professionals.

Zoom out: Florida’s lawsuit the latest example of OpenAI’s mounting legal woes. Families of the victims of the recent Tumbler Ridge mass shooting in Canada sued OpenAI in late April, accusing the company of negligence for ignoring the shooter using ChatGPT to plan the attack.

OpenAI is also facing at least eight wrongful death lawsuits over claims that ChatGPT drove users to experience harmful delusions and, in some cases, commit suicide.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 🤖 Anthropic files confidential initial public offering (IPO) papers with the SEC; it comes a week after Anthropic reached a $965 billion valuation in its latest funding round.
• 🎰 People Inc., the holding company run by media mogul Barry Diller, offers to buy the rest of casino giant MGM Resorts in deal valuing the company at $18 billion; People Inc. already owns 26.1% of MGM.
• 💼 Rise of remote work since the pandemic is a key driver of higher unemployment rates for recent college grads, new research finds; NY Fed study shows remote work makes businesses more reluctant to hire young, inexperienced workers.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏈 NFL blockbusters: Cleveland Browns trade reigning DPOY Myles Garrett to Los Angeles Rams in exchange for star edge Jared Verse and future picks in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds. | Philadelphia Eagles trade star WR A.J. Brown to New England Patriots for 1st- and 5th-round picks.
• 🎾 Serena Williams, 44, is returning from retirement after four years to play at an upcoming tennis tournament in London.
• 🏒 Stanley Cup Finals begin tonight with Game 1 between the Carolina Hurricanes and Las Vegas Knights.

A glossy finish can look good in the moment, but it can’t visibly smooth texture, help support collagen, or improve the look of fine lines over time. The PLASMA Lip Compound is designed to take care of all of that and more with treatment-focused ingredients that support lasting hydration and fuller-looking lips.

Buildable color creates a naturally dimensional finish while science-proven ingredients help visibly smooth texture and nourish the lips. The result: Lips appear softer, plumper, and visibly contoured with a 3D pillow effect.

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🌌 Astronomers find "Rosetta Stone" for mysterious signals from space called long-period radio transients, linking one to a white dwarf binary system.
• 🚫🤖 DuckDuckGo’s AI-free search tools see traffic rise 30% week-over-week amid growing anti-AI sentiment.
• 🔎 Scientists develop nanoscale light-based circuit that operates at room temperature; it marks a “significant step” towards chip-based technologies that use light instead of electricity, per researchers.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🏛️ Trump admin says it will comply with a court ruling temporarily pausing its $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” though the Justice Department says it "strongly disagrees" with the ruling.
• 🪖 Transgender US troops may remain in the military, but armed forces can continue to block new enlistments, per federal appeals court; latest decision partially halts the Trump admin’s ban on trans service members.
• 🌍 Iran halts all negotiations with the US and moves to “completely” block the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for what it says are ongoing ceasefire violations. | President Trump says Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to halt their ongoing conflict following calls with leaders from both sides.

☝️ A 31.5-acre waterfront estate on Martha’s Vineyard is coming on the market with a list price of $49 million, which would set a new record for the famed Massachusetts island where Jaws was filmed.

🤔 Did you know? Toothbrushing didn’t become widespread in the US until after World War II, when US soldiers continued the dental hygiene routine that had been required during their military service.

📰 Worth a read: The twisty economics of amusement parks

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• Brain freeze reveals a lot about your health
• Are some people wired to see ghosts?
• UC professors beg schools to reinstate the SAT

Oura Ring 95s. Zero retucking. GOTS-certified organic... Sierra Dreams' Align™ system + plant-based kapok fill = the bedding upgrade customers call "life-changing". Try it for 100 nights risk-free. Save 15% on Sierra Dreams with code DONUT.

Yesterday we covered how Congress returns from recess this week to a backlog of major legislation on the docket, covering a range of issues including immigration funding, potential Iran war intervention, and the future of foreign intelligence surveillance.

❓ Our question to you: In general, do you approve or disapprove of Congress’ job performance so far this term (since Jan. 2025)?

• Approve: 5%
• Disapprove: 89%
• Unsure/other: 6%

Click here to read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 553 votes and 74 longform responses.

💸 Retirement hack: Why the 4% rule is now the 4.7% rule—and what that means for your personal finances.

💤 You snooze, you…win: Experts suggest a simple mental trick to quiet those busy thoughts and quickly drift off to sleep.

👶 Start ‘em young: An illustrated guide on how “parentese” can help make your baby smarter (in comic format).

💼🚀 A 3-minute shortcut to leveling up your career…Join 310,000+ professional women reading The Assist — a 4x-weekly newsletter packed with actionable tips, resources, and insights to help you move forward at work. Subscribe free to The Assist.*

*A message from our partners

❓ Trivia: Which animated show holds the record as the longest-running US sitcom?

☀️ True or false?… The sun is yellow.

🏠 Welcome to Avivo Village, a first-of-its-kind shelter in Minneapolis featuring 100 tiny homes for unsheltered individuals, convened together in a safe & weather-proof warehouse. Its services aim to support the residents through personal development before they move into permanent housing.

+Note: This story previously appeared in Positive DONUT, our weekly newsletter surfacing all the good things you don't hear about in the news.

❓ Trivia: The Simpsons

☀️ T/F: False, the sun is actually white when observed from space.

Advertise with us: Want to reach other smart and inquisitive readers like you? Become a DONUT partner here.