Nine months into 2024, 50 blockbuster films have been released or are set to be released in theaters. Out of these, only 11 are not a sequel or remake. Through sequels like “Inside Out 2” or “Beetlejuice 2” and movie remakes including “Twister,” Hollywood has lost its originality.
Personally, I have not been to a movie theater in the last year, not because I can stream most movies but due to there being no new and creative movies released. It seems every week Hollywood announces another Disney movie remake, like the live action “Mufasa,” or another bland sequel for a movie that never required one.
Marvel continues to be a contributing factor to this long line of sequels, but they rarely reach the same success of the original. Marvel always ends movies on a cliff hanger to set up a sequel, but often it is better to leave the movie as it is and begin a new creative project.
Film companies continue to dump money into remakes because it almost always makes them a profit. “Inside Out 2” profited Disney $1.4 billion dollars, while even a poorly rated movie, “Ghost Buster: A Frozen Age,” brought in $100 million dollars.
These positive margins scare producers away from creating new ideas. Why take a risk of a box office flop when you know “Despicable Me 4” will bring in $500+ million in profits? Two of the best new movie ideas this year, “Challengers” and “IF,” combined for less revenue than “The Garfield Movie” by over $60 million.
Money has always been a primary focus for film companies, but today, it is more important than ever. There has been a shift from producing original content to using the same group of actors like Timothy Chalamet, Zendaya, or Glen Powell for another dry sequel.
Movie watchers are also to blame for this because they continue to pick remakes instead of taking the risk of watching a new movie. This timid relationship between film companies and consumers has led to a boring, fearful Hollywood. A business that used to be centered around taking creative risks has dwindled into who can get the rights for the next remake.
Changes need to be made. I no longer want to sit and watch the same old movies on Netflix, but instead I want to be sitting in a movie theater with a bucket of popcorn and a Coke watching an original and unique movie. Even if a new movie flops, it is still viewed as a creative risk, and to me, that means much more than any basic movie.
Hollywood on behalf of all movie lovers, I am begging you to please stop producing remakes and start becoming original again.
