Netflix’s cheaper, ad-supported tier has reached 70 million global monthly active users two years after it was launched.

The company said Tuesday more than 50% of its new sign-ups are for ad-supported plans in countries that offer the option. Netflix said it continues “to see positive momentum and growth across all areas of the business,” adding it has seen “steady progress across all countries’ member bases.”

Netflix launched the option in November 2022 as one of its responses to a slowdown in subscriber growth.

Recently, subscriber growth hasn’t been an issue. Last month Netflix reported it added 5.1 million subscribers during the third quarter, beating Wall Street estimates. In total, Netflix counts 282.7 million memberships across all of its pricing tiers.

Beginning next year, Netflix said it will no longer update investors on its subscriber numbers as it shifts focus toward revenue and other financial metrics as performance indicators.

When Netflix launched its ad platform two years ago, the company said Nielsen would rate its content.

Netflix in May announced it would air two National Football League games on Christmas Day this year as part of a three-year deal. On Tuesday it said it sold out of its ad inventory for the two live games.

Netflix also said it’s brought on FanDuel and Verizon as advertisers for the games. FanDuel will become the exclusive pregame sportsbook betting partner, Netflix said, and will have a sponsored in-show feature.

Media companies have been focusing on ad-supported strategies for their streaming options that woo customers with cheaper plans and also offer advertising revenue that can help move the streaming businesses toward profitability. While the ad market has been slow for traditional TV, it has grown for streaming and digital businesses.

Netflix offered its last update on its ad-supported tier in May, when it said it reached 40 million global monthly active users, nearly doubling the figure it had shared in January. That announcement came during Upfronts, when media companies make their pitches to advertisers.

Netflix also announced in May it would launch its own advertising platform, ending a partnership with Microsoft for that technology. It’s rolled out the platform in Canada and plans to launch it in the U.S. by the end of the second quarter next year. It plans to set the platform live everywhere by the end of 2025.

Thousands of Mattel’s “Wicked”-branded fashion dolls are flying off shelves, but not because of consumer demand.

The toy company has been forced to pull its line of character dolls after a package misprint. Instead of listing the website for Universal’s “Wicked” movie, boxes featured a link to a pornographic website for a group called Wicked Pictures.

“Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the U.S., which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page,” Mattel said in a statement. “We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children. Consumers who already have the product are advised to discard the product packaging or obscure the link and may contact Mattel Customer Service for further information.”

Target, Walmart and Amazon had removed the line of “Wicked” dolls from their online storefronts as of midday Monday, as had Best Buy, Barnes & Noble and Macy’s. The products were also being sold at Kohl’s and DSW, among other retailers. Some sites were still taking action on the listings throughout the day Monday.

It is unclear if Mattel will reprint the packages or provide retailers with stickers to cover the incorrect website domain. Mattel did not return CNBC’s request for additional comment after providing its initial statement.

“Like any business, mistakes can and do happen in the toy business,” said James Zahn, editor in chief of The Toy Book. “This was likely an innocent oversight that made it through the normal processes. Most consumers — kids and adults alike — will never read the fine print on a package, and at the end of the day, the packaging is designed to end up in the trash. The odds of a kid reading the back of a doll box and being inclined to go online and visit the website are pretty slim.”

The mishap comes as Universal floods retail shelves with “Wicked”-related product ahead of the film’s Nov. 22 release. The green-and-pink barrage is expected to bring a big boost to the retail industry just in time for the crucial holiday period.

However, Mattel could see its revenue impacted by the cost of removing the dolls.

“I suppose the impact depends on the resolution, which we don’t yet know,” said Jaime Katz, an analyst at Morningstar.

“The big winners in the short term are resellers, as this snafu sparked a flipper frenzy this weekend as retail shelves were quickly emptied by opportunists looking to make a quick buck by selling on eBay or Facebook Marketplace,” Zahn noted.

Already dozens of Mattel’s misprinted dolls are available on eBay for list prices ranging between $40 and $2,100. The dolls retailed for between $20 and $40 depending on the character and outfit.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the distributor of “Wicked.”

“Barbie” painted the town pink in 2023, and now “Wicked” is upping the ante by adding a splash of green.

Universal‘s theatrical retelling of the famed Broadway musical is creating buzz ahead of its Nov. 22 release with hundreds of merchandise offerings from dozens of retail partners. The green-and-pink barrage is part of Universal’s marketing strategy for the film and could bring a welcome boost to the retail industry just in time for the crucial holiday period.

These “Wicked” collaborations cross the spectrum from apparel, accessories, footwear, beauty and costumes all the way to home decor, toys and even one-of-a-kind cars.

The collections range in price points as well, offering consumers affordable and luxury options to show off their love of all things “Wicked.”

Target and Walmart have a slew of products on shelves, with whole sections of the store dedicated to themed shirts, sweaters and footwear, as well as dolls, plush figures, books and nail polish.

Lego and Mattel have brick sets and Barbies tied to the film; Starbucks has a collection of new tumblers and mugs, plus limited-time drinks inspired by main characters Glinda and Elphaba; and Betty Crocker has “mix to reveal” cake mixes that turn pink or green when wet ingredients are added.

Toyota’s Lexus is even releasing two one-of-a-kind versions of its 2024 Lexus TX that have “Wicked”-themed wraps.

The Broadway show on which the film is based is one of the most popular and highest-grossing musicals of all time and already has an established and rabid fanbase.

Just at the Gershwin Theater in New York City, more than 14.5 million people have bought tickets to see the show since it launched in 2003, generating more than $1.67 billion in ticket sales, according to Broadway World. Those figures don’t include traveling national shows or international residencies.

These fans are hungry for merchandise that celebrates and enhances their fandom and they are willing to pay for it, according to Mintel’s 2024 “U.S. Superfans and Enthusiasts Consumer Report.“

The report found that nearly half of “superfans,” the most enthusiastic and devoted fans, have spent money on official fandom events or merchandise in the past year. The report, which surveyed 2,000 adults in the U.S., also determined that fandom collaborations and partnered releases are most successful among niche super-fandoms.

And that’s a good thing for the retail space, which saw the consumer confidence index fall 7 points in September, the largest drop in more than three years, only to soar up 11% in October, the biggest single-month acceleration since March 2021.

Retailers that have partnered with Universal are expected to see a boost from sales of “Wicked” merchandise, which could help them stand out from other companies during the next few months.

What could also drive demand is the fact that these merchandise collaborations are limited-time only. Once the stock is gone, it’s not likely to be replenished. So, even the most price-conscious consumers may be willing to spend in order to get these products before they vanish from shelves.

Movie theaters, too, are offering up themed popcorn buckets, drink specials and other merchandise for moviegoers who head out to cinemas to see the film. These retail opportunities could help boost the “Wicked” box office.

At present, box-office analysts have a wide-ranging read on what “Wicked” could do during its domestic opening weekend. On the conservative end is an $85 million haul, predicted by leading entertainment and technology research firm NRG. Meanwhile, others speculate that the first film in a planned duology could top $100 million and capture as much as $150 million during its first three days in theaters.

The divergence of expectations comes as Hollywood has struggled to market and make a profit on movie musicals in recent years. Adaptations such as “In the Heights,” “Dear Evan Hanson” and “Mean Girls,” all based on Broadway shows, failed to drum up significant box-office revenue during their runs.

However, other fan-favorite intellectual property-driven titles — including “Dune: Part Two,” “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Inside Out 2” — have overperformed estimates. With “Wicked” already being a household name but existing in the musical space, box-office analysts are finding it tricky to predict where it will land.

Warner Bros. Discovery said Thursday its streaming platform Max added 7.2 million global subscribers in the third quarter.

It marked the biggest quarterly growth for the streaming platform since its inception. Max now had 110.5 million subscribers as of Sept. 30. Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagship streaming service has been growing its subscriber base at a fast clip this year since expanding internationally during the first half.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s stock was up more than 10% on Thursday.

The streaming business has become a bright spot for Warner Bros. Discovery as its traditional TV networks have been pressured by cord cutting and a soft advertising market. Last quarter, Warner Bros. Discovery reported a $9.1 billion write-down on its TV networks.

On Thursday, Warner Bros. Discovery reported third-quarter results that showed revenue decreased 4% to $9.62 billion compared with the same period last year. Total adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization were down 19% to $2.41 billion.

Warner Bros. Discovery swung to a profit of $135 million, or 5 cents a share, compared with a loss of $417 million, or 17 cents per share, in the same period last year.

TV networks revenue rose 3% to $5.01 billion compared with last year, despite declines in both distribution and advertising revenue for the segment. Studios segment revenue dropped 17% to $2.68 billion, with theatrical revenue falling 40%, excluding the impact of foreign currency exchange, due to the lower box-office performances of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and “Twisters” compared with that of “Barbie” last year.

However, the streaming business’ revenue increased 8% to $2.63 billion, driven by an increase in global subscribers, higher advertising revenue and global average revenue per user. Adjusted EBITDA for the segment was $289 million, a rise of $178 million compared with last year.