Have you heard? MrBeast ties the knot and Theorist Media pushes for a union.

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry.

This week, the biggest creator on YouTube celebrated his nuptials, videomakers are at odds with their parent company, and Minecraft got its very own musical.

Creator commotion

Congrats to the newlyweds, Jimmy Donaldson and Thea Booysen. The man known as MrBeast married his South African bride during a ceremony held on Richard Branson’s private island. We do know that Booysen looked fabulous in her custom gown, though we don’t know whether she will adopt “MrsBeast” as an official title.

Theorist Media employees speak out on unionization push. Workers at the company formerly led by MatPat told Aftermath that they wish to join unions to “raise professional standards and bring them in line with the broader entertainment industry.” So far, current Theorist parent company Lunar X has not recognized the union.

Jacksepticeye is turning Thankmas into a year-round occasion. The popular Irish gamer took a break from his annual charity drive last year, but Thankmas is back in a big way in 2026. Jacksepticeye is partnering with the Make-a-Wish Foundation for a six-month event titled Wishmas, which is aiming to raise $3 million for charity.

Pop culture minute

The Guild movie raises $3.5 million (and counting) on Kickstarter. The revival of Felicia Day‘s role-playing sitcom blew past its fundraising goal of $1.5 million. Thanks to the enthusiastic response, The Guild fans will get to see a classic web series adapted for the big screen, with Day and most of the other original cast members set to reprise their roles.

Dhar Mann brought a Minions and Monsters premiere event to Hollywood. At the TCL Chinese Theater, Mann joined forces with Jordan and Salish Matter to, in Mann’s own words, “treat a movie premiere like a creator event.” The YouTube moralist’s yellow suit was the icing on the cake, even if he was missing the matching overalls.

There’s another creator film in theaters (this time with AI). On YouTube, Zack London‘s imaginative short films have brought more than 1.4 million subscribers to his Gossip Goblin channel. London’s fully AI feature Gods Don’t Give Gifts will hit “several hundred movie theaters” later this year as studios and chains look to capitalize on the success of Backrooms and Obsession.

The biz

Toys and Colors is rolling out its first product line. After becoming one of the most-watched family channels on YouTube, Toys and Colors is partnering with Bonkers Toys to bring a line of colorful playthings to retail aisles at Target. Like with all things Toys and Colors, the new items are focused on providing a mix of educational merit and unbridled fun.

Speaking of the toy aisle, Aphmau is there, too. One of the biggest names in the internet Minecraft community is also teaming up with Bonkers Toys. Starting in August, shoppers will be able to get their hands on Aphmau toys, many of which are inspired by the creator’s love of cats. Just before the line launches, Aphmau will promote it during an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con.

Colin Rocker’s deck of prompts can help you break the ice. Rocker, a creator who focuses on business-related topics, has released a deck of conversation prompts called First Round. You can expect to see the cards put to use at For The Firsts, the network community Rocker operates out of New York City.

Agency dealings

Volt Factor adds big names in the Kids and Family category. The upstart company, which is looking to turn creator brands into multiplatform IP, has announced a wave of signings. Its new partners include channels like What’s Up Moms and Triple Charm, both of which reach millions of subscribers on YouTube and beyond.

PAVE Studios eyes true crime with roster expansion. Like Volt Factor, PAVE’s focus is centered around the development of creator-led IP. The latest partners for that effort include big names from categories like true crime and law content, such as YouTuber Kimbyrleigha  and lawyer/TikToker Reb Masel. With PAVE’s assistance, those creators will seek new horizons in areas like audio, video, and live events.

Alejo Igoa signs with WME. There are very few creators who can say that they’ve gotten more weekly views than MrBeast, but Alejo Igoa is one of them. By harnessing some of MrBeast’s strategies, the Argentine sensation has become one of the world’s most titanic influencers, and his reward for that glow-up is a deal with major talent agency WME.

The internet is a strange place

Schpood’s ‘Hamilton’ musical in ‘Minecraft’ is awesome. Fans of ish’s Minecraft civilization videos may remember Schpood’s tenure as a pixelated Roman emperor. Now he’s back with a Minecraft-set rendition of Hamilton, which was reportedly recorded in one take. The audience loved it, and as for the rest of us? Well, no one else was in the server where it happened.

Cancelled on TV? Just go to YouTube! The antifascist songwriters Danger Dan and Igor Levit were set to perform on German TV, but their broadcast partner pulled their segment at the eleventh hour. In response, they hosted a renegade concert on YouTube. TV networks aren’t just losing power because of creators’ cultural import; in this case, the openness of the internet was a strong asset for Dan and Igor.

A group of YouTubers built a Trojan Horse to sneak into a showing of The Odyssey. Listen kids, if you’re going to recreate plot points from Homerian epics, just make sure you’re well-equipped for any potential encounters with the cyclops Polyphemus.