First a movie, then a trilogy, a couple of prequels, a spinoff TV show about a minor side character, and maybe a reboot ten years down the line. The current culture of entertainment is to drain any successful idea to its absolute last drop of creativity. Despite audience disapproval, major film studios insist on regurgitating finished ideas. We’ve wrung out “Thor” through four movies, we forced 80-year-old Harrison Ford to return to the screen in the fifth installation of “Indiana Jones”, and we’ve somehow managed a third prequel of “Harry Potter.” Audiences are tired of seeing their beloved characters getting dragged through unbelievable conflicts and tired plotlines. But, because sequels and reboots are more reliable at the box office, the film industry will continue to produce the same stories in different wrappings until the money stops coming in.
Gone are the days of major film studios producing a unique blockbuster that takes off into global phenomena. Instead, film studios have become increasingly risk averse, and of course, another Marvel movie or Star Wars episode will always call an audience, well-thought-out or not. This trend has become so prevalent that the top ten highest-grossing movies of the year are all sequels or reboots, according to Box Office Mojo.
From a financial standpoint, it is very reasonable why films are going in this direction. The fall of the physical sales of DVD and VHS and the rise of streaming have eliminated a second wave of profit that used to be advantageous to film studios. Now, if a movie isn’t projected to do well in theaters, it’s not worth the studio’s time. Studios rely on the brand recognition of already established franchises to bring people to theaters. After all, why spend a fortune on marketing when you can just reuse the “Star Wars” logo for the umpteenth time?
And yet, sequels aren’t the devil that I have made them out to be. Success stories do exist of sequels that are both wildly successful and built off their predecessor in a unique way. “Inside Out 2” and “Despicable Me 4,” both released in 2024, were very well received by their respective audiences. Sequels aren’t inherently bad, but the leeching off of well-respected trademarks for an easy profit has dulled out the entertainment industry.
It’s been clear that the big film studios don’t have our best interest in mind, refusing to push original stories, so the onus is on us to highlight the innovative films with new ideas that are being released under the radar. Additionally, it’s not enough for us to wait for these movies to come onto streaming services to enjoy them. The best way to support movies with original content and unique stories is to see them in theater. Unless you want 10 more “Fast & Furious” movies, it is critical that we preserve creativity in the film industry.
