YouTubers Win the Box Office, Goodbye Gatekeepers, The YouTube Bar

By Stratechery by Ben Thompson June 1, 2026 · Edited June 1, 2026

YouTubers are ruling the box office, and it shouldn't be a surprise: succeeding on YouTube is a much higher bar than the gates that currently govern Hollywood.

YouTubers are ruling the box office, and it shouldn’t be a surprise: succeeding on YouTube is a much higher bar than the gates that currently govern Hollywood.