By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 8 seconds ago

For horror fans, it’s been one hell of a summer. Blockbusters like The Mandalorian and Grogu and Supergirl flopped while spooky movies made money hand over fist. One of the most successful scary movies was Backrooms, which made horror history: 19-year-old Kane Parsons became the youngest director to have a movie debut at number one at the box office. The success of both Parsons and his film helped cement A24, the studio behind Backrooms, as a champion of creativity and independent art. Unfortunately, they just decided to torch that reputation for the most predictable reason of all: money.

On July 15, a Reddit user posted seeming proof that his Backrooms-inspired shirt had been yanked off of Redbubble because of a copyright strike from “A24 Films, LLC.” The problem here is that the user wasn’t selling an image from Parsons’ film; rather, it was an image from the original viral image that kicked off the whole Backrooms craze. Other users made similar claims that their Backrooms art and games have been taken down by A24. Now, the latest wrinkle in this bizarre tale? Parsons himself convinced the studio to drop its copyright claims, effectively giving the hottest horror IP back to the fans who made it.

A Haunting Betrayal

At first glance, it may not seem that surprising that A24 went after creators who are profiting off Backrooms. After all, they just released a film of that same name, one that quickly established itself as one of the biggest movies of the summer. It only makes sense for the studio to protect its IP, right? However, A24 doesn’t actually own Backrooms; they only own the interpretation they hired Kane Parsons to correct. When news of the copyright claims first began circulating on the internet, it caused fans to ask the obvious question: how does the studio have legal standing to copyright Backrooms projects that have nothing to do with the film?

A24 has very deep pockets (never forget, it was created by finance bros), causing fear that nobody affected would dare to sue the company. That would effectively create a chilling effect, preventing future creators from making money on their own interpretations of the viral Backrooms concept. It’s a concept that is effectively owned by fans, and the studio had no right to threaten other content creators with copyright claims. At least, that’s the sentiment shared by Backrooms fans all around the world. It’s also one shared by the last person anyone would expect: Backrooms director Kane Parsons! When he learned what the studio was allegedly doing, he made a promise on Reddit: “I’m looking into this. Should not be happening.”

Kane Parsons Bites The Hand That Feeds Him

Incredibly, it seems that Parsons spoke to the studio, and his pleas were successful. Recently, A24 very publicly backed down from any attempts to threaten Backrooms content that had nothing to do with the movie. In a statement, the studio wrote the following: “A24 makes no claim of ownership over the yellow wallpaper, the original post referencing it, or any of the community works that have since been built around it.” The statement ended with an expression of solidarity for future creators. “We will continue to support the artists who, like Kane, were inspired by it.” 

Thankfully, all’s well that ends well: very soon after users began complaining about these copyright strikes, Kane Parsons himself intervened, getting A24 to back down from their crusade against the fans. However, this incident will be remembered for a long time by fans who once revered the studio. A24 established itself as one of the greatest creators of smart horror films, and the success of Backrooms made them seem like champions of young voices with fresh ideas. But between the company’s recent AI partnership with Google and the recent alleged attempts to copyright material they don’t even own, the studio has seemingly become the greatest enemy of actual creatives.

The ultimate spooky auteur studio being far scarier than anything they have created? Now, that’s what I call elevated horror!

TL;DR: The GoCable is an 8-in-1 keyring cable that can charge almost any device, and it’s on sale now for $29.99 (reg. $49.99).

Your phone, your laptop, and maybe a camera or a pair of Headphones all want a different cable, so you end up carrying three of them, but that’s no way to treat your pockets. The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC is a single keyring cable that can charge virtually any modern device, and it’s on sale right now for $29.99 (reg. $49.99).

Designed as an everyday carry essential, it combines ultra-fast charging with genuinely useful built-in tools, all wrapped in a compact, tangle-free design that clips neatly onto a bag, belt loop, or keychain.

With 100W charging capabilities (when paired with a compatible power source), the GoCable can power everything from phones and tablets to laptops, drones, and cameras.

Universal connectors mean you’re covered whether you’re using USB-C or Apple’s Lightning. No more digging through tangled cords or carrying three different cables just in case.

What makes this cable especially useful are all the thoughtful little extras. An LED power display shows your real-time charging status. The magnetic wrap keeps things neat and frustration-free. There’s even a built-in bottle opener and a safe-proof cutter for impromptu moments like opening a package on the fly or cracking a drink at a picnic.

For how much it can do, you might be surprised by how tiny this cable actually is. At just 5.9 inches long, it’s small enough to pop in your pocket but big enough to comfortably keep your devices charged.

Stop packing your pockets with a different cable for every device. Pick up a GoCable 8-in-1 100W Cable while they’re on sale for $29.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to today’s Connections.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 8 seconds ago

So far, it seems that James Gunn has a very complicated relationship with the failed DCEU. On paper, it’s his job to create his own cinematic universe (the DCU) that avoids all the major mistakes of its predecessor. Because of this, it’s in the director’s best interest to distance his DCU from the DCEU however and whenever he can. Nonetheless, Gunn can’t stop creating connections between these universes, from connecting Peacemaker to The Suicide Squad to casting Aquaman actor Jason Momoa as Lobo. Now, he’s one-upping himself in the loudest possible way by putting a very obscure star of a failed DCEU film into his next blockbuster film.

Xolo Maridueña starred as the titular hero of Blue Beetle, a 2023 DCEU film. When the movie came out, it was generally well-liked: it had a 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics and a whopping 90 percent from the fans. However, not that many fans actually saw the movie, and it became one of multiple DCEU projects to actually lose Warner Bros. money. Because of that, it seemed like we’d never see this hero (or at least, this version) on the big screen again. Nonetheless, Gunn is bringing back Maridueña’s Blue Beetle for his upcoming sequel Superman: The Man of Tomorrow.

Meet The Beetle

This news comes to us courtesy of Deadline, which heard about it from insiders who are close to Gunn’s Superman sequel. This is obviously big news for Xolo Maridueña, who seemed like he’d never reprise this role again. Neither Gunn nor Warner Bros. has commented on the matter. However, Deadline’s report indicates that one or both of these entities are fond enough of the actor to bring him over to the DCU. How will he fit into this new cinematic universe, though? Chances are that, like Peacemaker before him, Blue Beetle will simply be a DCU version of his familiar self, complete with a very similar backstory.

While fans of Blue Beetle will be happy to see the hero onscreen again, it’s not clear how much of a role he will have. Right now, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow is very crowded with both heroes (including Superman, Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific) and villains (including Lex Luthor, Brainiac, and newcomer Maxima). Because of this, some have claimed the sequel feels more like a Justice League movie than a Superman sequel. That’s good news for anyone who enjoyed watching the Man of Steel and his Superfriends kick butt in the previous movie. However, the sheer number of characters appearing in this film may cut into Blue Beetle’s overall screentime.

Avoiding The Sequel Blues

However, having a large roster of heroes is only appropriate for Superman: The Man of Tomorrow because the Big Bad is Brainiac, and he represents a threat to the entire planet. It would only make sense that Superman has to rally as many allies as possible in the fight against an existential threat to all of humanity. It’s also possible that Gunn will be using this Superman sequel to lay the in-universe groundwork for an eventual Justice League team. After all, an individual hero may be enough to save the city most of the time. But when it comes to saving the entire world, even Superman can’t be everywhere at once.

Speaking of possibilities, James Gunn might eventually give Blue Beetle his own spinoff movie or series. This would help the DCU win over younger audiences, and it would fit Gunn’s recent MO of shining a spotlight on the more obscure characters within this colorful universe. We won’t know exactly what will happen to this former DCEU character until we see him on the big screen again. So, mark your calendars, fanboys: Superman: The Man of Tomorrow flies into theaters on July 9, 2027. Its titular hero may be more powerful than a speeding locomotive, but only time will tell if he’s more powerful than something much stronger than a train: superhero fatigue.