The Warner Bros. water tower is seen at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
NEW YORK (AP) — Netflix is declining to raise its offer to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming business, in a stunning move that effectively puts Paramount in a position to take over the fellow storied Hollywood giant.
On Thursday, after Warner’s board announced that Skydance-owned Paramount’s offer was superior to the agreement it had previously struck with Netflix, the streaming giant said the new price that would be required to buy Warner would make it a deal that is “no longer financially attractive.”
Unlike Netflix’s bid, Paramount wants all of Warner’s operations, including networks like CNN and Discovery. That would put CNN under the same roof as Paramount’s CBS and combine two of Hollywood’s last five remaining studios.
The owner of HBO Max, DC Studios and popular titles like “Harry Potter” had backed Netflix’s proposal for months. But after Skydance-owned Paramount upped its rival bid for the entire company to $31 per share, in addition to other revisions, Warner’s board on Thursday said that the offer “constitutes a ‘company superior proposal.’”
A Paramount buyout Warner’s business would vastly reshape Hollywood and the wider media landscape. Paramount’s CBS has seen significant editorial shifts, notably with the installation of Free Press founder Bari Weiss at CBS News, under new Skydance ownership. And if Paramount’s acquisition of Warner is successful, many expect the reach of those changes to only grow.
A Paramount-Warner combo would also combine two of Hollywood’s five legacy studios that remain today, in addition to their theatrical channels. Beyond “Harry Potter,” Warner movies like “Superman,” “Barbie,” and “One Battle After Another” — as well as hit TV series like “The White Lotus” and “Succession” — would join Paramount’s content library.
Today, Paramount’s lineup of titles include “Top Gun,” “Titanic” and “The Godfather.” And beyond CBS, it owns networks like MTV and Nickelodeon, as well as the Paramount+ streaming service.
Executives at Paramount have argued that merging will be good for consumers and the wider industry. But lawmakers and entertainment trade groups have sounded the alarm — warning that a Warner takeover would only further consolidate power in an industry already run by just a few major players. Critics say that could result in job losses, less diversity in filmmaking and potentially more headaches for consumers who are facing rising costs of streaming subscriptions as is.
Combined, that raises tremendous antitrust concerns. The U.S. Department of Justice has already initiated reviews, and other countries are expected to do so, too.
Netflix, Warner and Paramount have spent the last couple of months in a heated, public back and forth over whose deal has a better regulatory path — and offers more value for Warner shareholders. Thursday’s announcement arrived shortly after Paramount upped the ante on its offer.
Beyond increasing its proposed purchase price for Warner, the company also agreed to a regulatory termination fee of $7 billion. And Paramount pledged to move up a previously-promised “ticking fee.” The company initially said it would pay 25 cents per share for every quarter the deal drags on past the end of the year. Now it’s agreed to pay that amount if the deal doesn’t go through by the end of September, Warner said.
But Paramount is taking on billions of dollars in debt to finance its offer. And David Ellison’s father, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, is heavily backing the bid for his son’s company. Foreign sovereign wealth funds have also provided equity for the offer, drawing scrutiny.
The Ellisons also have a close relationship with President Donald Trump — bringing more politics into question. Trump previously made unprecedented suggestions about his involvement in seeing a deal through, before walking back those statements and maintaining that regulatory approval will be up to the Justice Department.
The push to acquire Warner also arrives just months after Skydance closed its own buyout of Paramount — in a contentious merger approved just weeks after the company agreed to pay the president $16 million to settle a lawsuit over editing at CBS’ “60 Minutes” program. Still, Trump has continued to publicly lash out at Paramount and “60 Minutes” since.
Matt is joined by LightShed Partners media analyst Rich Greenfield to break down the latest reports of a meeting between Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish in New York City to discuss a possible merger. Matt and Rich discuss what a deal would look like between these two legacy companies, how this would affect the streaming and cable networks for both of these companies, and whether or not major mergers in modern Hollywood ever work. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the weekend box office.
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, What I’m Hearing …, click here.
The video game industry’s string of layoffs continues: Digital Bros. Entertainment and Kongregate have both announced job cuts.
Digital Bros., which owns Control publisher 505 Games and other studios, is laying off 30% of its workforce — roughly 130 people — as part of an “organization review,” it announced Tuesday. The job losses will largely impact Digital Bros.’ studios, according to a news release. Beyond 505 Games, Digital Bros. Entertainment owns DR Studios (Terraria for mobile and console), Kunos Simulazioni (Assetto Corsa), Infinity Plus Two (Puzzle Quest 3), Supernova Games, Nesting Games, Avantgarden (Last Day of June) and Ingame Studios (Crime Boss: Rockay City).
Kongregate, the online gaming portal and publisher, has cut more than a dozen jobs across several departments. Kongregate has not responded to Polygon’s request for comment. The layoffs span multiple departments, including art, VFX, marketing, community management, and production. It’s been a challenging few years for Kongregate, which made a name for itself in the early 2000s as the online portal for Flash games. When Adobe dropped Flash support for good in 2020, Kongregate had to shift toward preserving its Flash games.
In July 2020, Kongregate announced it was no longer accepting user-created games, as it moved toward its own internal development. At that time, it laid off several people to “reshape” the company. One person laid off by Kongregate told Polygon it came as a total surprise.
Three video game studios have laid off workers in as many days: Amazon’s gaming division announced layoffs on Monday. More than 180 people have been cut from Amazon’s Crown Channel and Game Growth programs as the company “refocuses” on Prime Gaming, according to a staff memo sent by Amazon Games vice president Christoph Hartmann. Humble Games, which publishes video games like Coral Island and Mineko’s Night Market, also laid off an unknown number of staffers this week, it confirmed to GLHF. Over the past year, more than 6,000 people have been laid off in the video game industry, according to a layoff tracking website.
Alan Wake 2 is bleak stuff. Sure, your flashlight makes the darkness a little less scary, and the full-motion video commercials are a lighthearted wink to players who seek them out. But for some, the game could benefit from a constant positive presence to raise the mood while you traverse the Overlap and beyond.
Of course, this thought comes after playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder, where each level features a goofy talking flower character who remarks on the player’s actions, or on what’s happening in the game world. After going back and forth between the two games, it’s hard not to imagine what the talking flower would be like in Alan Wake 2.
Image composition: Cameron Faulkner/Polygon | Source images: Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games Publishing, Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Beyond blurting out quips to take your mind off the dread of walking through forests at night with scarily few bullets, or when running from the Dark Presence, the talking flower could be a useful tool for marking objectives, or helping you figure out combinations to safes.
Inevitably, I think the game would take a dark turn with this, turning the talking flower into a deceptive plot device. Eventually you wouldn’t know if you could trust what the talking flower is telling you, adding to Alan Wake 2’s deft skill of extending its dark fiction over the game’s reality. Are the Taken a threat, or are you the threat? Maybe, just maybe, it’s the talking flower.
It’s putting thoughts into my mind, ones that I’d rather not be having.
The chaos is reminding me of how simple things were, back when Alice and I first arrived in Bright Falls. Now, I’m stuck in the Dark Place.
The Super Mario Bros. series is packed full of outstanding games, which means it’s time to take a look back at them and see which ones were the cream of the crop. Here’s our ranking of all the best Super Mario Bros. games.
Note: Due to the expansive nature of the Super Mario Bros. series, spin-offs have been omitted from the rankings. This includes: Mario Party, Mario & Luigi, Mario Maker, and more.
20. Super Mario Land
Image Source: Nintendo
Nintendo pulled off the impossible when they released Super Mario Land for the Game Boy. Many thought Mario’s gameplay was meant solely for home console releases. Thanks to Gunpei Yokoi, creator of the Game Boy, and the rest of the team at Nintendo’s R&D1, Super Mario Land was a successful port of the traditional Mario gameplay.
While the game didn’t do much to innovate Mario gameplay, it did introduce a fun alternative to traditional underwater levels by giving Mario access to a submarine capable of shooting missiles, transforming Mario into a side-scrolling shooter.
19. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Image Source: Nintendo
The second installment of the Land series saw the introduction of Mario’s infamous rival, Wario.
6 Golden Coins expanded on its predecessor with improved graphics, a save feature, and new power-ups. Unlike the original game, 6 Golden Coins added a significant amount of gameplay. Mario could now explore six new worlds in his quest to thwart Wario’s evil plan.
18. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Image Source: Nintendo
The Wii release of New Super Mario Bros. transplanted the agility of Mario’s DS foray and mixed it beautifully with cooperative gameplay. The resulting game, when played with three other friends, transforms the usual precision of a typical side-scrolling Mario game into a chaotic game of precision and teamwork.
The biggest downside to the game is its difficulty – or lack of it. The game is pretty easy, even allowing players to “bubble” to safety at the tap of a button should they venture off a cliff or come dangerously close to an enemy Koopa.
17. Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels
Image Source: Nintendo
The official sequel to the original Super Mario Bros game didn’t come to the US for quite some time, due to Nintendo believing the game to be too difficult for American audiences.
Fortunately, given the crazy success of Mario in general, they ultimately released this “Super Mario 2,” as The Lost Levels. Instead of walking you around the mechanics of the game, Lost Levels pushes you into the deep end right from world 1-1. This game is meant for people who’ve mastered the original game – the added challenge is nice, but can be discouraging for new players.
16. New Super Mario Bros. 2
Image Source: Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros. 2 holds on to its “new” moniker, and actually means it. The focus of NSMB2 is coins. Lots of coins. The game motivates players to actually collect coins, by making it feel good to actually grab them. The key? Shoving loads of coins in players faces, and giving players access to new power-ups, like the Golden Block, which continues to give Mario coins the faster he runs.
This simple gameplay tweak introduces an interesting new dynamic: throw caution to the wind and collect tons of coins. However, racing towards the end of the level now comes with a risk – death. This gambling-esque gameplay tweak is fun and refreshing. But for all the coins the game manages to shove in players faces, it doesn’t do much to reward greedy players.
15. New Super Mario Bros. (NDS)
Image Source: Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros. breathes a breath of fresh air into the traditional side-scrolling Mario experience. Mario retains his acrobatic abilities first introduced in Super Mario 64, and allows Mario to traverse a 2d landscape with style.
Fun new power-ups like the Propellor Mushroom and the Giant Mushroom force players to approach levels in new ways. And of all the “New” Super Mario games, this original DS title has the most cohesive level design, by forcing players to navigate thoughtfully made worlds.
14. New Super Mario Bros. U/New Super Luigi U
Image Source: Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros U iterates on the cooperative gameplay introduced in the Wii version of New Super Mario Bros, and expands on it by introducing a fifth player to the mix via use of the Wii U gamepad. This fifth player has the ability to draw platforms and stun enemies.
New Super Luigi U ups the difficulty ten-fold, bringing a challenging new take on an otherwise easy game.
13. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Image Source: Nintendo
Despite the confusing name and shift to a more action-oriented gameplay style, Yoshi’s Island features some of the most interesting level design in the series. There’s tons of collectibles and each level has many different routes. If you compare the levels of Yoshi’s Island to Mario World, it’s clear that the former’s levels are much longer and more explorative.
Despite all the excellent level design and charm the game has going for it, there are some annoyances. The game manages to elevate player stress through its clever timer mechanic and crying Baby Mario. Should an enemy manage to land a hit on Yoshi, the little green dinosaur sheds Baby Mario from his back, and players are then forced to scramble their way back towards a crying Mario trapped in a floating bubble threatening to float away. We still hear that crying Mario in our dreams sometimes, and it’s one of the reasons this game isn’t higher than it is on the list.
12. Super Mario Bros. 2
Image Source: Nintendo
This unofficial sequel to the original Super Mario Bros game was actually a completely different game to begin with. Before the Mario title was added to the cartridge, Super Mario Bros 2 was actually a game called Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic.
The resulting game is classic Mario gameplay with an action-adventure twist. Not only does the game introduce a new cast of characters in addition to Mario, each with their own unique abilities, but it also allows players to go on the offensive by throwing items at enemies. The dream-like nature of the levels makes progression interesting and refreshing, ensuring players never grow weary of whatever challenge lies ahead.
11. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Image Source: Nintendo
The 10-year return of 2D Mario couldn’t have been better. Not only does Super Mario Wonder give Mario fans unique mechanics and gimmicks that surprise at every turn, but the game honors the series’ 30-year legacy with it’s familiar tight control scheme and classic roots. Super Mario Wonder feels like a modern-day Super Mario World; the secret exits, special world, and level design are prevelant in both games.
What sets this title apart is the fresh ideas and concepts across every level. This tremendous variety between levels makes the 2D Platforming genre fresh and exciting again, just when it was starting to feel overdone with Mario Maker 2. The only things keeping Super Mario Wonder from the taking the top spots on this list are its easy difficulty and derivative boss battles.
10. Super Mario 3D Land
Image Source: Nintendo
One of the few rare games to actually make excellent use of the 3DS’ 3D capabilities, Super Mario 3D Land brings the excellent design of 3D Mario games and squishes them into bite-sized chunks perfect for any road trip.
For those who aren’t big fans of New Super Mario’s gameplay, Super Mario 3D Land is intimate and puzzle-heavy. Perfect for player who want to feel invested in the portable world.
9. Super Mario Bros.
Image Source: Nintendo
The game that started a legacy, and provided the gaming industry the shot in the arm it needed to stay alive, Super Mario Bros is a definitive masterpiece.
In terms of design and mechanics, Super Mario Bros reinforces player expectations through thoughtful, unobtrusive “teaching” moments disguised as challenges. Many platformers look to the source for inspiration, even newer Mario games, but few come close to capturing the feel of of loading into world 1-1 for the first time.
8. Super Mario Sunshine
Image Source: Nintendo
Mario’s shift to a higher polygon count came with a fresh new coat of paint – literally. Sunshine introduces a new twist to the standard Mario gameplay by giving Mario access to a new world to play around in and a new tool: F.L.U.D.D.
This super-soaker backpack not only allows Mario to clean up the graffiti-drenched walls of the tropical Delfino Plaza, it also helps Mario traverse the land with new power-ups. Tired of walking from place to place? Slap on the jet, and race around the world at break-neck speeds. Having trouble with a distant platform? Switch nozzles to “hover,” and gracefully glide across the air.
Despite all the new additions to Mario’s repertoire and world, Sunshine falls painfully short of Super Mario 64’s open-world design by forcing players to return to the main hub world after completing any objective, as opposed to SM64’s design that allowed players to freely float from objective to objective at their leisure.
7. Super Mario 64
Image Source: Nintendo
Mario’s first appearance on the N64 shook the gaming world to the core. The 2D franchise was successfully brought into the third dimension, and showcased what a Z-axis provided for video games as a whole.
The brilliance of the game can be seen in the design of the Castle Courtyard seen shortly after Mario’s introduction. Players needed time to adjust to this added dimension of gameplay, and this courtyard served as a playground to see what new moves Mario picked up in the transition.
But Super Mario 64’s appeal isn’t limited to a retrospective glance. Despite being an early 3D hodgepodge of clumpy polygons, SM64 holds up remarkably well thanks to brilliant world design and challenges. Each new world introduced in SM64 adds a new layer of expectations for players, testing their mettle against the rising challenges presented as you progress throughout the game. Good luck acquiring all 120 stars though…
6. Super Mario 3D World
Image Source: Nintendo
Super Mario 3D World is a culmination of the cooperative mechanics introduced in the New Super Mario Bros. console games, with the thoughtful level design of the 3D Mario games.
3D World retains the charm of uncovering secrets strewn about the beautiful environments, while injecting a shot of stressful mania that comes about when one player decides to stray away and do things for themselves. Plus – cat suit power-ups!
5. Super Mario Galaxy 2
Image Source: Nintendo
The original Super Mario Galaxy was the first to bring players to space. Galaxy 2 was the reason for keeping them there. After having time to toy with 3D level design, Galaxy 2 features some of the most inventive level design in any Mario game.
But, the lack of any substantive hub world left the player rather lonely. Cohesion is an important part of tying all the levels together, and for Galaxy 2, it is sorely missed.
4. Super Mario Galaxy
Image Source: Nintendo
While Super Mario Sunshine shied away from the open level design of Super Mario 64, Galaxy retains it and brings it into the next logical representation of 3D space – space itself.
Bringing Mario to space brought with it an ability to overhaul traditional Nintendo level-design. While Galaxy 2 has arguably better level design, the original Galaxy has the luxury of being the first to wow audiences with a novel with a novel world….er, space.
3. Super Mario Odyssey
Image Source: Nintendo
Mario’s tremendous 3D streak reaches a climax with Super Mario Odyssey. This exemplifies the best in 3D platforming. Each stage is filled to the brim with creative challenges and fun collectibles. The hat transformations are a game-changer and completely freshen up the gameplay mechanics as if it were a different genre entierly at times.
There are no less than 50 hat transformations in Super Mario Odyssey, from a ridiculous T-Rex dinosaur to the series classic, Bullet Bill. This game is challenging, has tremendous depth, and has consistent quality through every single level. It’s also one of the very best Mario games of all time, so do yourself a favor and play it.
2. Super Mario Bros. 3
Image Source: Nintendo
In 1988 players all around the world thought that game developers had maximized the potential of what the NES hardware. Then Super Mario Bros. 3 released.
The world first gained a glimpse at the sequel to the beloved Mario Bros. franchise in the 80s film The Wizard, and what they glimpsed was a world of wonder and intrigue. SMB3 was completely different from the Mario games of the past. Sure – it still revolved around platforming, but now, Mario could bank power-ups, traverse floating airships, and utilize a wide variety of crazy new abilities that changed the fundamental nature of a Mario game.
1. Super Mario World
Image Source: Nintendo
Super Mario World debuted on the Super Nintendo in 1991 cementing Nintendo’s position as the premier console of the early 90s. Many games since have attempted at recreating the precise platforming, genuine feel-good momentum, and inventive power-up design, but none have come close to this platforming powerhouse.
Despite being a platformer, Super Mario World subverts the genre expectations by allowing players multiple ways of clearing new levels and old, thus incentivizing players to make their way back to previously completed locations. If you have yet to play this Mario masterpiece, you owe it to yourself to track down a copy.
Matthew Carmosino is a freelance writer for Twinfinite. He started gaming in the mid-90s where his love for SquareSoft RPGs like Chrono Trigger changed him forever. Matthew has been working in the game industry for two years covering everything from story-rich RPGs to puzzle-platformers.
Listening to piano music on a rainy day is his idea of a really good time, which probably explains his unnatural tolerance for level-grinding.
Down the pipe and into the Flower Kingdom, Ben and Jess are talking all things Mario today with the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. They begin by discussing their histories with the Super Mario Bros. franchise (0:00) and its evolution in 2D/3D gameplay (12:00). Later on, they chat about their likes and dislikes of the game (30:00) before producer Devon Renaldo joins to deliver a hot take on Nintendo’s direction, the company’s upcoming releases, and the successor to the Switch (1:09:00).
Hosts: Ben Lindbergh and Jessica Clemons Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopal
When it comes to incredible cosplay, San Diego Comic-Con always delivers, and this year was no exception. The event, which ran from July 20 to July 23 and took place at the famed San Diego Convention Center, brought fun panels, cool interactive experiences, and almost provided us with an unofficial GTA: San Andreas restaurant before Rockstar’s lawyers shut it down. But what about the cosplay?
The video and photos brought to you today were all provided, as usual, by Minerablu (you can check out way more of his stuff on his Instagram page or on his YouTube channel). Click through to see The Fifth Element cosplays, The Last of Us looks, and much, much more.
Just lost my oldest cat tootsie today bros. Some people say they’re just animals ,but they come into your life and bring you love and happiness that they become apart of your family. She was a great cat and i just wanted to show you guys a picture of her. She will be missed. Thanks.
Dutch Bros, Inc. operates as an operator and franchisor of drive-thru shops that focus on handcrafted beverages. It operates through the Company Operated Shops, and Franchising and Other segments. The Company-Operated Shops segment consists of coffee shop sales to customers. The Franchising and Other segment is involved in bean and product sales to franchisees and includes the initial franchise fees, royalties, and marketing fees. The company was founded by Travis Boersma and Dane Boersma in 1992 and is headquartered in Grants Pass, OR.
In holdover news for Friday, Paramount’s PARA Smile held its own against the mighty Michael Myers. Parker Finn’s buzzy breakout earned $3.73 million (-31%) on Friday for a likely $12.7 million (-31%) third-weekend gross. That will give it a jaw-dropping $71.5 million 17-day total. One more hold like this, and it’s sure to pass $100 million domestic (a milestone Halloween Ends may not reach since both previous Blumhouse entries were uber-frontloaded).
In other ‘horror is good’ news, Barbarian earned $406,000 (-36%) on Friday for a likely $1.33 million (-39%) weekend and $38.9 million domestic cume. It’ll pass $40 million next weekend, a fine achievement for an R-rated, star-free grindhouse original. Bloody Disgusting’s Terrifier 2 earned $340,000 (-5%) while adding theaters in an extended theatrical engagement. We can expect a $810,000 (+1%) weekend and $2.255 million 11-day cume. That’ll do Art. That’ll do.
Lyle takes a bath in Columbia Pictures LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE. Photo by: Courtesy of Sony Pictures
Meanwhile, Columbia and Sony’s delightful Lyle, Lyle Crocodile earned $2 million (-45%) on Friday for a likely $7.6 million (-34%). That gives the $50 million family-friendly comedy a mediocre $23 million ten-day cume. I wish it were doing better, but the IP wasn’t as big a deal as Peter Rabbit, Paddington or Clifford the Big Red Dog.
Sony’s The Woman King earned another $1 million (-24%) on Friday for a $3.91 million (-24%) weekend and $60 million 31-day cume. It should crawl to $70 million in the end, give or take Oscar season attention, with its overseas prospects still mostly unknown. It’s not a blockbuster, but it’s a great film pulling its domestic theatrical weight.
Alas, David O. Russell’s Amsterdam crashed hard, earning just $888,000 (-66%) on Friday. We can expect the Christian Bale/Margot Robbie/John David Washington comic thriller to make just $2.85 million (-56%) for a miserable $12 million ten-day total. I liked this one a lot, but audiences no longer automatically show up for star-packed non-franchise films unless almost everything (reviews, high concept, ensemble cast, marquee director, promise of escapism) goes right.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s Don’t Worry Darling earned $740,000 (-36%) on Friday for a likely $2.29 million (-35%) weekend and $42.5 million 24-day total. Again, it’s not a blockbuster or a franchise starter, but the $35 million Olivia Wilde-directed thriller will make money. Universal’s Bros earned $290,000 (-57%) on Friday for a $900,000 (-58%) weekend and poor $10.9 million 17-day total.
Paramount and Skydance’s Top Gun: Maverick remained in the top ten with a $730,000 (-9%) weekend and a bonkers $716 million cume. By tomorrow, the Tom Cruise legacy sequel will have sold more tickets in North America than Black Panther. This will be its 21st consecutive weekend in the top ten, the first film to do so since Titanic in 1997 and Forrest Gump in 1994. I imagine this will be its last such weekend (at least consecutively), but we’ll see.
Moviegoing audiences chose the horror movie over the romantic comedy to kick off the month of October. Paramount’s “Smile” topped the North American charts with $22 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, leaving Billy Eichner’s rom-com “Bros” in the dust.
Universal’s “Bros” launched with an estimated $4.8 million to take fourth place behind “Don’t Worry Darling” ($7.3 million) and “The Woman King” ($7 million). But opening weekends likely aren’t the final word on either “Bros” or “Smile.” Horror movie audiences are generally front-loaded, dropping off steeply after the first weekend, while something like “Bros,” which got great reviews and an A CinemaScore, suggesting strong word-of-mouth potential, is a movie that could continue finding audiences through the fall.
“Bros” is significant for being the first gay rom-com given a wide theatrical release by a major studio, as well as the first studio movie starring and co-written by an openly gay man. Since premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, the film has gotten stellar reviews from critics and also been the target of “review bombs” on IMDB. The site last week removed removed hundreds of one-star reviews for “Bros” that were logged before the film was released.
