Entertainment
Ant-Man 3 Budget Reveals Hundreds Of Millions Spent For Tiny Profit
By Brian Myers
| Published
Financial disclosures released by Disney have recently revealed that the mega-company’s total expenditures for the latest Ant-Man film exceeded its box office haul despite the eye-popping budget. While on the surface, it would seem that this turn of events might frustrate studio brass, there’s more to the losses than meets the eye. The company was able to take advantage of a financial incentive given to studios by the British government, leading to a net profit of less than $90,000 USD.
It Didn’t Lose Money
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania debuted last February and was far from the box office smash hit that others before it in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have proven to be, weighed down by the immense budget, a disappointing villain, and a VFX scandal. The film managed to gross a bit more than $476 million in ticket sales, which production studio Disney was entitled to half of. However, when considering the cost of making the movie, this cut meant that Mickey Mouse and the company were staring down the barrel of a $92.05 million loss.
Typically, a film studio will mask its profit and losses with the overall budget that includes its other films. Being able to dodge the itemization of any one particular film’s budget makes each endeavor appear to be a bit better, even when the studio might be holding onto a box office bomb. The studio’s decision to film in England meant two distinct things for the company: a full legal disclosure of its overall budget as mandated by British law AND a cash reimbursement.
Saved By A British Tax Credit
When choosing to shoot the latest Ant-Man movie in the country, Disney was forced to file financial statements that contained disclosures that included everything in the budget from material costs to the salary contributions of each staff member. These financial filings show that Disney received $327 million in revenue plus another $2.8 million in miscellaneous income. The total costs were reflected to be $388 million, leading to a pre-tax loss of more than $58 million.
But, the tax credit given to studios by Britain gave Ant-Man’s studio enough to capture a bit of a gain. The government reimbursed Disney up to 25.5 percent of what it actually spent in the nation, leading to $58,281,661 credit. By the time analysts reached the bottom line, the budget numbers reflect a net profit of $88,236 for Disney.
The Government Requires Transparency
To qualify for the reimbursement, a minimum of 10 percent of the total production costs needed to be spent inside the United Kingdom. Film studios will set up additional film production companies inside the country so that they can show the financials. This separate company must be “responsible for pre-production, principal photography, and post-production,” and well as for the final edited version being delivered.
As this reimbursement can be rather hefty, the government in Britain forces any studio wishing to take advantage of the tax credit to show all of their cards. Whether it’s a big company like Disney shooting Ant-Man sequels or smaller studios filming an independent feature, the budget rules apply to all straight across the board. A film that results in a profit gets the reimbursement as a credit toward taxes owed, while a flop gets a cash reimbursement against the funds spent to make the movie.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
