Box Office Recovery Signals Broader Audience Engagement

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Movie theaters had their strongest weekend in a long time, with ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada more than doubling compared to the same time last year. Unlike in the past, when one big movie might drive all the excitement, several different films across genres helped push audiences back into theaters.


The top movie was Sinners from Warner Bros., which made $45 million in its second weekend—dropping only 6% from its debut. Typically, movies lose about half their earnings after opening weekend, so this small decline is unusual. So far, Sinners has earned $161.6 million worldwide, and premium screenings like IMAX made up a growing share of ticket sales.

In second place was a special re-release of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith for its 20th anniversary. It brought in $42.2 million worldwide, boosted by recent announcements related to the Star Wars franchise and benefitting from nostalgia-driven marketing.

The Accountant 2 from Amazon MGM Studios debuted in third place with $24.5 million, showing strong appeal among older audiences. A Minecraft Movie continued its successful run, adding $22.7 million in its fourth weekend. The video game-based film has now made $380 million in North America alone. Rounding out the top five was Until Dawn, another video game adaptation, which opened with $8 million.

Thanks to these films, total ticket sales for April are up 102% compared to last year, and the year’s overall box office is now tracking more than 10% ahead. Analysts say this momentum could set the stage for a strong summer season, starting with Disney’s Thunderbolts in early May.

Nissan Looks to Boost U.S. Production in Response to Tariffs

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Nissan is planning to ramp up vehicle production at its largest U.S. plant as new auto tariffs take effect. The company’s Smyrna, Tennessee, facility has the capacity to build up to 640,000 vehicles a year on three shifts, but in 2024, it produced about 314,500 vehicles using just two.

Christian Meunier, chairman of Nissan Americas, said the company sees an opportunity to make better use of its existing U.S. manufacturing capacity. “We have big facilities, big capacities, and today we don’t have max capacity,” Meunier told CNBC. Nissan is considering shifting some production from Mexico and Japan to its U.S. plants as part of a broader adjustment strategy.

Nationwide, Nissan produced roughly 525,600 vehicles in the U.S. last year. Its American operations include about 15,000 employees and more than 400 supplier partners. Along with Smyrna, the company operates a plant in Canton, Mississippi, which builds the Altima and Frontier.

The Canton facility is also preparing for a major transition. A $500 million investment is underway to support electric vehicle production, with new EV models expected to enter production in the next few years.

Meunier warned that the new 25% tariffs could raise the cost of affordable vehicles, such as the Nissan Versa. “That’s going to hurt customers who buy cars under $30,000,” he said, adding that increased prices could impact lower-income buyers.

Nintendo Switch 2 Preorders Launching After Tariff Delays

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Nintendo has confirmed that retail preorders for the highly anticipated Switch 2 console will begin in the United States on April 24, 2025. New features of the Switch 2 include a larger 7.9-inch LCD display and upgraded Joy-Con controllers. The release has had a two-week delay from the initially planned April 9 date, as the company needed time to assess the impact of President Trump’s newly imposed tariffs on electronics imported from Asia.

Despite these trade challenges, Nintendo has maintained its previously announced pricing structure for the core products. The base Nintendo Switch 2 will retail for $449.99, while a bundle including the new Mario Kart World will cost $499.99.

Although the console and game prices remain unchanged, several accessories will see modest price increases ranging from $1 to $5 due to what Nintendo describes as “market conditions” and tariff impacts. The Pro Controller, Joy-Con pairs, and other peripherals are among the items affected by these adjustments.

The company has indicated that further price modifications could occur depending on future market and tariff developments. Currently, imports from China face a 145% tariff, while goods from Vietnam are subject to a temporarily reduced 10% rate.

The official launch date for the Nintendo Switch 2 remains June 5, 2025, with major retailers like Best Buy planning midnight openings for the occasion. Industry analysts project strong demand, with sales forecasts ranging from 13 to 15 million units globally by year-end.

Osaka Expo 2025

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Osaka Expo 2025, officially known as Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, officially opened on April 13, 2025, and will run through October 13 on Yumeshima Island. Held under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” the World Expo convenes over 160 countries and regions to explore solutions to global challenges through innovation, sustainability, and collaboration. The Expo is expected to draw over 28 million visitors.

This is the second time Osaka has hosted a World Expo, following the 1970 event. The 2025 edition features around 80 pavilions that highlight advancements in health, digital transformation, and environmental technologies. A central architectural element is the “Grand Ring,” a 2-kilometer wooden walkway that connects major zones and symbolizes unity through diversity.

National pavilions present country-specific contributions. Japan’s pavilion merges traditional aesthetics with sustainable design, while others, such as the UAE and Germany, focus on futuristic architecture and green living, respectively. Major corporations—including Mitsubishi, Panasonic, and NTT—are showcasing technologies in AI, robotics, clean energy, and smart city infrastructure.

The site is organized into eight themed zones such as “Connecting Lives” and “Saving Lives,” offering varied experiences across sectors. Cultural highlights include traditional Japanese performances and a rare public display of a Martian meteorite. Nighttime events like the “Moonbow Festival” feature multimedia shows with water projections and synchronized light displays.

For businesses, the Expo offers opportunities to gain insight into emerging trends in many industries. It also facilitates connection with global leaders through recourses like the Osaka Prefectural Government’s One-Stop Business Service Desk and a dedicated business handbook.

Certified under ISO 20121 for sustainable event management, the Expo aims for carbon neutrality and zero waste. Long-term infrastructure projects linked to the Expo are expected to drive economic and technological growth in the region.

Colossal Biosciences’ Dire Wolf Revival

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Colossal Biosciences has recently made headlines in the field of de-extinction with its groundbreaking efforts to bring back previously extinct species. The Texas-based biotechnology company, founded in 2021 by Harvard geneticist George Church and entrepreneur Ben Lamm, has achieved what many considered impossible: the first dire wolf pups in over 10,000 years.

Dire wolves weighed between 130 to 150 pounds, stood three feet at the shoulder, and were about six feet long. They went extinct at the end of the Pleistocene epoch approximately 10,000 years ago, and these new puppies mark the company’s first major achievement in species revival. According to published reports, Colossal’s scientists extracted DNA from well-preserved specimens, sequenced the genetic material, and used CRISPR gene-editing technology to reconstruct the extinct genome.

The process involved recreating key genetic sequences and implanting them into a closely related canid species to act as a surrogate. The resulting pups, named Romulus, Remus, and Khalessi exhibit genetic markers that paleogeneticists recognize as consistent with dire wolf DNA, based on fossil evidence.

Beyond dire wolves, Colossal Biosciences is also working on reviving other extinct species, including the woolly mammoth and the Tasmanian tiger. The company’s mission extends beyond scientific achievement—they aim to restore biodiversity and potentially rehabilitate damaged ecosystems by reintroducing keystone species.

The scientific community remains divided on the ecological and ethical implications of such efforts. Critics argue that resources could be better spent protecting endangered species, while supporters believe that these techniques can create powerful new tools for conservation biology.

For now, the dire wolf pups remain in controlled research environments, where scientists are closely monitoring their development, health, and behavior. Colossal has stated that it plans to publish peer-reviewed findings as the animals mature.