It’s primetime for conspiracy theorist video creatorsIn the days since this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner was cut short when shots were fired at the event, there has been a boom of conspiracy theory videos created by people who insist that the entire situation was a false flag operation. These kinds of theories are nothing new, but the way they’re spreading now is a reflection of how reaction video culture is reshaping our social media landscape. And even though the initial chaos around the shooting has started to die down, content creators are still posting about what “really” happened.
There is still much we do not know about Cole Allen, the 31-year-old suspected shooter who allegedly traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, ahead of the WCHD and was staying in the same Hilton where the event was held. But that has not stopped content creators from flooding platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X with videos purporting to have more insightful takes on the situation than what’s being reported by the mainstream media.
None of these videos reveal anything that hasn’t already been reported out via traditional media outlets. But each of them speaks to the way that this brand of content has become a normal part of people’s media consumption habits and something that creators see as a viable way to capture attention. In the US, trust in traditional media outlets is at a historic low and more people are turning to social media to stay informed about world events. And that shift has given conspiracy-minded content creators a choice opportunity to influence the way people understand reality.
All of this is similar to what happened in 2024 when Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt while campaigning for the presidency. Then, creators rushed to capitalize on the event while also writing it off as a false flag designed to garner sympathy for the Republican nominee. That news cycle and subsequent discourse dragged on for weeks, both because it was a significant moment in an election year and because it was difficult to understand how Trump could have been shot in his ear without sustaining any visible damage afterward.
Many of the newer videos about the WHCD shooting suggest that we should look at these events as a response to the Trump administration’s propensity for spreading misinformation. And while there is no evidence to suggest that the WHCD shooting was, in fact, orchestrated with Trump’s approval, one could argue the administration is at least partially responsible for the way that this idea has gained traction across the internet.
As easy as it is to laugh at the constant barrage of shitposts coming out of the president’s social media accounts and other official governmental channels, they have undoubtedly had an impact on the way that the public thinks about the current administration. By sharing ugly, immature memes and AI-generated images of Trump as a Christlike figure, the White House has told people that nothing is to be taken seriously and everything can be turned into a crude joke. And at a time when all of the internet’s biggest social media platforms have begun encouraging their users to upload videos of themselves while chasing engagement, it makes sense that many would see this past weekend’s shooting as a chance to boost their profiles.
Trump has made nonsensical “jokes” a significant part of his political brand, and people are responding with very similar energy.
#primetime #conspiracy #theorist #video #creatorsCreators,Instagram,Meta,Streaming,Tech,TikTok,YouTube
In the days since this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner was cut short when shots were fired at the event, there has been a boom of conspiracy theory videos created by people who insist that the entire situation was a false flag operation. These kinds of theories are nothing new, but the way they’re spreading now is a reflection of how reaction video culture is reshaping our social media landscape. And even though the initial chaos around the shooting has started to die down, content creators are still posting about what “really” happened.
There is still much we do not know about Cole Allen, the 31-year-old suspected shooter who allegedly traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, ahead of the WCHD and was staying in the same Hilton where the event was held. But that has not stopped content creators from flooding platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X with videos purporting to have more insightful takes on the situation than what’s being reported by the mainstream media.
None of these videos reveal anything that hasn’t already been reported out via traditional media outlets. But each of them speaks to the way that this brand of content has become a normal part of people’s media consumption habits and something that creators see as a viable way to capture attention. In the US, trust in traditional media outlets is at a historic low and more people are turning to social media to stay informed about world events. And that shift has given conspiracy-minded content creators a choice opportunity to influence the way people understand reality.
All of this is similar to what happened in 2024 when Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt while campaigning for the presidency. Then, creators rushed to capitalize on the event while also writing it off as a false flag designed to garner sympathy for the Republican nominee. That news cycle and subsequent discourse dragged on for weeks, both because it was a significant moment in an election year and because it was difficult to understand how Trump could have been shot in his ear without sustaining any visible damage afterward.
Many of the newer videos about the WHCD shooting suggest that we should look at these events as a response to the Trump administration’s propensity for spreading misinformation. And while there is no evidence to suggest that the WHCD shooting was, in fact, orchestrated with Trump’s approval, one could argue the administration is at least partially responsible for the way that this idea has gained traction across the internet.
As easy as it is to laugh at the constant barrage of shitposts coming out of the president’s social media accounts and other official governmental channels, they have undoubtedly had an impact on the way that the public thinks about the current administration. By sharing ugly, immature memes and AI-generated images of Trump as a Christlike figure, the White House has told people that nothing is to be taken seriously and everything can be turned into a crude joke. And at a time when all of the internet’s biggest social media platforms have begun encouraging their users to upload videos of themselves while chasing engagement, it makes sense that many would see this past weekend’s shooting as a chance to boost their profiles.
Trump has made nonsensical “jokes” a significant part of his political brand, and people are responding with very similar energy.
![‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Originally Had a Much Bleaker Ending
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy wasn’t our favorite mummy movie, but it did have some recommendable qualities, including its high levels of gruesome gore. We also approved of the ending, which offered a satisfying twist to the agony that came before. And while The Mummy‘s test screenings were targeted by some since-debunked negative rumors (look, James Wan just wanted more snacks, that’s all!), apparently those same early showings helped writer-director Cronin figure out that all-important final note for his film. Star Jack Reynor talked about the original ending and the changes that were made, and we’ll add one of these in case you haven’t yet seen Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. At the end of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, the characters have all realized that young Katie is possessed by a ferocious demon. She was kidnapped years earlier by her friend’s mother, a character the film calls “the Magician,” for the sole purpose of becoming the next containment vessel for this demon over a period of years.
The sarcophagus and wrappings covered in ancient writing she’s entombed in are meant to trap the demon as part of an obligation upheld by the Magician’s family for generations upon generations. The demon starts to escape when the sarcophagus is moved out of necessity from the Magician’s farm. Instead of relocating safely, the sarcophagus breaks open in a plane crash, and Katie—still alive, albeit mummified and barely clinging to her human soul—is sent from Egypt to New Mexico to reunite with her surprised and thankful mother, father, and two siblings.
The bulk of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy follows the creature formerly known as Katie causing horrifying, escalating chaos, while an Egyptian detective pokes into the case overseas, and Katie’s father, Charlie, played by Reynor, does his own research in a desperate attempt to figure out what’s wrong with his daughter.
At the end of the movie, the detective comes to New Mexico and helps Charlie manipulate the demon into leaping out of Katie and into Charlie. He saves his daughter, but dooms himself. That’s where the movie ended originally, apparently. The version that made it into theaters has an additional scene where the Magician, who’s been jailed for kidnapping Katie, gets a visit from a mummified Charlie. Again with the detective’s help, the demon makes another leap between bodies—this time, freeing Charlie and taking over the Magician’s soul instead.
That was a reshoot, Reynor told the Hollywood Reporter. “We came back and picked it up, which was cool because it was the one day where I actually got to be the Mummy. It’s fun to get into the makeup and get to be part of that legacy,” Reynor said, name-checking the Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee versions of the character. Even beyond becoming part of horror history, though, he understood the reason for the change.
“You make these decisions because you want to give the audience what they want, and I understand that. Is it a better movie, objectively speaking? I don’t know. I did like Lee’s original ending,” Reynor admitted. “But I also understand that if I went to see that movie with my teenage kids and they were bummed out because it was so fucking bleak at the end, maybe I’d be [more in favor of the new ending]. So I get it both ways. I see the merits of both for different reasons.” The new ending is cathartic; after all, the Magician was the one who singled Katie out for years of unimaginable torture, not to mention inflicting torment on her family. She deserves some payback other than prison time. But it also left another lingering question: what happens next?
The Magician was the person in charge of handing down the knowledge of how to contain the demon to the next generation. Now that she’s become its current vessel, who will be keeping an eye out? Presumably, that burden now transfers to her only surviving child—a girl around Katie’s age—who’ll have to select a new innocent victim someday and perform the same ritual once her mother’s body starts to break down. We probably won’t get another Lee Cronin’s The Mummy to explore that further, but thinking about it too much does make the new ending a little less suffused with the gleeful spirit of revenge. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Lee #Cronins #Mummy #Originally #BleakerJack Reynor,Lee Cronin’s The Mummy](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2025/09/io9-2025-spoiler.png "‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Originally Had a Much Bleaker Ending
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy wasn’t our favorite mummy movie, but it did have some recommendable qualities, including its high levels of gruesome gore. We also approved of the ending, which offered a satisfying twist to the agony that came before. And while The Mummy‘s test screenings were targeted by some since-debunked negative rumors (look, James Wan just wanted more snacks, that’s all!), apparently those same early showings helped writer-director Cronin figure out that all-important final note for his film. Star Jack Reynor talked about the original ending and the changes that were made, and we’ll add one of these in case you haven’t yet seen Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. At the end of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, the characters have all realized that young Katie is possessed by a ferocious demon. She was kidnapped years earlier by her friend’s mother, a character the film calls “the Magician,” for the sole purpose of becoming the next containment vessel for this demon over a period of years.
The sarcophagus and wrappings covered in ancient writing she’s entombed in are meant to trap the demon as part of an obligation upheld by the Magician’s family for generations upon generations. The demon starts to escape when the sarcophagus is moved out of necessity from the Magician’s farm. Instead of relocating safely, the sarcophagus breaks open in a plane crash, and Katie—still alive, albeit mummified and barely clinging to her human soul—is sent from Egypt to New Mexico to reunite with her surprised and thankful mother, father, and two siblings.
The bulk of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy follows the creature formerly known as Katie causing horrifying, escalating chaos, while an Egyptian detective pokes into the case overseas, and Katie’s father, Charlie, played by Reynor, does his own research in a desperate attempt to figure out what’s wrong with his daughter.
At the end of the movie, the detective comes to New Mexico and helps Charlie manipulate the demon into leaping out of Katie and into Charlie. He saves his daughter, but dooms himself. That’s where the movie ended originally, apparently. The version that made it into theaters has an additional scene where the Magician, who’s been jailed for kidnapping Katie, gets a visit from a mummified Charlie. Again with the detective’s help, the demon makes another leap between bodies—this time, freeing Charlie and taking over the Magician’s soul instead.
That was a reshoot, Reynor told the Hollywood Reporter. “We came back and picked it up, which was cool because it was the one day where I actually got to be the Mummy. It’s fun to get into the makeup and get to be part of that legacy,” Reynor said, name-checking the Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee versions of the character. Even beyond becoming part of horror history, though, he understood the reason for the change.
“You make these decisions because you want to give the audience what they want, and I understand that. Is it a better movie, objectively speaking? I don’t know. I did like Lee’s original ending,” Reynor admitted. “But I also understand that if I went to see that movie with my teenage kids and they were bummed out because it was so fucking bleak at the end, maybe I’d be [more in favor of the new ending]. So I get it both ways. I see the merits of both for different reasons.” The new ending is cathartic; after all, the Magician was the one who singled Katie out for years of unimaginable torture, not to mention inflicting torment on her family. She deserves some payback other than prison time. But it also left another lingering question: what happens next?
The Magician was the person in charge of handing down the knowledge of how to contain the demon to the next generation. Now that she’s become its current vessel, who will be keeping an eye out? Presumably, that burden now transfers to her only surviving child—a girl around Katie’s age—who’ll have to select a new innocent victim someday and perform the same ritual once her mother’s body starts to break down. We probably won’t get another Lee Cronin’s The Mummy to explore that further, but thinking about it too much does make the new ending a little less suffused with the gleeful spirit of revenge. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Lee #Cronins #Mummy #Originally #BleakerJack Reynor,Lee Cronin’s The Mummy")
![‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Originally Had a Much Bleaker Ending
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy wasn’t our favorite mummy movie, but it did have some recommendable qualities, including its high levels of gruesome gore. We also approved of the ending, which offered a satisfying twist to the agony that came before. And while The Mummy‘s test screenings were targeted by some since-debunked negative rumors (look, James Wan just wanted more snacks, that’s all!), apparently those same early showings helped writer-director Cronin figure out that all-important final note for his film. Star Jack Reynor talked about the original ending and the changes that were made, and we’ll add one of these in case you haven’t yet seen Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. At the end of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, the characters have all realized that young Katie is possessed by a ferocious demon. She was kidnapped years earlier by her friend’s mother, a character the film calls “the Magician,” for the sole purpose of becoming the next containment vessel for this demon over a period of years.
The sarcophagus and wrappings covered in ancient writing she’s entombed in are meant to trap the demon as part of an obligation upheld by the Magician’s family for generations upon generations. The demon starts to escape when the sarcophagus is moved out of necessity from the Magician’s farm. Instead of relocating safely, the sarcophagus breaks open in a plane crash, and Katie—still alive, albeit mummified and barely clinging to her human soul—is sent from Egypt to New Mexico to reunite with her surprised and thankful mother, father, and two siblings.
The bulk of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy follows the creature formerly known as Katie causing horrifying, escalating chaos, while an Egyptian detective pokes into the case overseas, and Katie’s father, Charlie, played by Reynor, does his own research in a desperate attempt to figure out what’s wrong with his daughter.
At the end of the movie, the detective comes to New Mexico and helps Charlie manipulate the demon into leaping out of Katie and into Charlie. He saves his daughter, but dooms himself. That’s where the movie ended originally, apparently. The version that made it into theaters has an additional scene where the Magician, who’s been jailed for kidnapping Katie, gets a visit from a mummified Charlie. Again with the detective’s help, the demon makes another leap between bodies—this time, freeing Charlie and taking over the Magician’s soul instead.
That was a reshoot, Reynor told the Hollywood Reporter. “We came back and picked it up, which was cool because it was the one day where I actually got to be the Mummy. It’s fun to get into the makeup and get to be part of that legacy,” Reynor said, name-checking the Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee versions of the character. Even beyond becoming part of horror history, though, he understood the reason for the change.
“You make these decisions because you want to give the audience what they want, and I understand that. Is it a better movie, objectively speaking? I don’t know. I did like Lee’s original ending,” Reynor admitted. “But I also understand that if I went to see that movie with my teenage kids and they were bummed out because it was so fucking bleak at the end, maybe I’d be [more in favor of the new ending]. So I get it both ways. I see the merits of both for different reasons.” The new ending is cathartic; after all, the Magician was the one who singled Katie out for years of unimaginable torture, not to mention inflicting torment on her family. She deserves some payback other than prison time. But it also left another lingering question: what happens next?
The Magician was the person in charge of handing down the knowledge of how to contain the demon to the next generation. Now that she’s become its current vessel, who will be keeping an eye out? Presumably, that burden now transfers to her only surviving child—a girl around Katie’s age—who’ll have to select a new innocent victim someday and perform the same ritual once her mother’s body starts to break down. We probably won’t get another Lee Cronin’s The Mummy to explore that further, but thinking about it too much does make the new ending a little less suffused with the gleeful spirit of revenge. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Lee #Cronins #Mummy #Originally #BleakerJack Reynor,Lee Cronin’s The Mummy](https://i3.wp.com/gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2025/09/io9-2025-spoiler.png?ssl=1 "‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Originally Had a Much Bleaker Ending
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy wasn’t our favorite mummy movie, but it did have some recommendable qualities, including its high levels of gruesome gore. We also approved of the ending, which offered a satisfying twist to the agony that came before. And while The Mummy‘s test screenings were targeted by some since-debunked negative rumors (look, James Wan just wanted more snacks, that’s all!), apparently those same early showings helped writer-director Cronin figure out that all-important final note for his film. Star Jack Reynor talked about the original ending and the changes that were made, and we’ll add one of these in case you haven’t yet seen Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. At the end of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, the characters have all realized that young Katie is possessed by a ferocious demon. She was kidnapped years earlier by her friend’s mother, a character the film calls “the Magician,” for the sole purpose of becoming the next containment vessel for this demon over a period of years.
The sarcophagus and wrappings covered in ancient writing she’s entombed in are meant to trap the demon as part of an obligation upheld by the Magician’s family for generations upon generations. The demon starts to escape when the sarcophagus is moved out of necessity from the Magician’s farm. Instead of relocating safely, the sarcophagus breaks open in a plane crash, and Katie—still alive, albeit mummified and barely clinging to her human soul—is sent from Egypt to New Mexico to reunite with her surprised and thankful mother, father, and two siblings.
The bulk of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy follows the creature formerly known as Katie causing horrifying, escalating chaos, while an Egyptian detective pokes into the case overseas, and Katie’s father, Charlie, played by Reynor, does his own research in a desperate attempt to figure out what’s wrong with his daughter.
At the end of the movie, the detective comes to New Mexico and helps Charlie manipulate the demon into leaping out of Katie and into Charlie. He saves his daughter, but dooms himself. That’s where the movie ended originally, apparently. The version that made it into theaters has an additional scene where the Magician, who’s been jailed for kidnapping Katie, gets a visit from a mummified Charlie. Again with the detective’s help, the demon makes another leap between bodies—this time, freeing Charlie and taking over the Magician’s soul instead.
That was a reshoot, Reynor told the Hollywood Reporter. “We came back and picked it up, which was cool because it was the one day where I actually got to be the Mummy. It’s fun to get into the makeup and get to be part of that legacy,” Reynor said, name-checking the Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee versions of the character. Even beyond becoming part of horror history, though, he understood the reason for the change.
“You make these decisions because you want to give the audience what they want, and I understand that. Is it a better movie, objectively speaking? I don’t know. I did like Lee’s original ending,” Reynor admitted. “But I also understand that if I went to see that movie with my teenage kids and they were bummed out because it was so fucking bleak at the end, maybe I’d be [more in favor of the new ending]. So I get it both ways. I see the merits of both for different reasons.” The new ending is cathartic; after all, the Magician was the one who singled Katie out for years of unimaginable torture, not to mention inflicting torment on her family. She deserves some payback other than prison time. But it also left another lingering question: what happens next?
The Magician was the person in charge of handing down the knowledge of how to contain the demon to the next generation. Now that she’s become its current vessel, who will be keeping an eye out? Presumably, that burden now transfers to her only surviving child—a girl around Katie’s age—who’ll have to select a new innocent victim someday and perform the same ritual once her mother’s body starts to break down. We probably won’t get another Lee Cronin’s The Mummy to explore that further, but thinking about it too much does make the new ending a little less suffused with the gleeful spirit of revenge. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Lee #Cronins #Mummy #Originally #BleakerJack Reynor,Lee Cronin’s The Mummy")
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