Back in 2015, Hollywood had a blast, impacting pop culture in ways we still feel ten years later. It was such a pivotal year that many studios seem stuck, struggling to move beyond that nostalgic wave of colossal franchises at their height. It’s almost as if we’re on a repeat binge, with talk of new Jurassic World installments and yet another round of Superman. With the Fantastic Four making another comeback, we can’t help but wonder how long the industry can ride the coattails of its glorious past.
Fast forward to 2019, and we saw the curtain drop on an era. Yes, we are all too aware of the global shifts that followed in early 2020, but the end of the 2010s also marked supposed farewells for giants like Game of Thrones, the MCU, and Star Wars. Yet, it wasn’t really goodbye. Despite some valiant attempts at birthing new cinematic empires, Hollywood seems paralyzed by the pandemic’s impact, market tremors, and a hesitance to embrace the future, clinging tightly to what’s safe and easily marketable.
Honestly, once something hits it big, it rarely stays gone for long. This trend has been brewing for years. When folks talk about an ‘IP saturation,’ they’re often referring to getting too much of a good thing so quickly that it begins to tarnish the love people once had. With this merciless pace of content creation, the odds of slipping increase. Just take Marvel Studios — its shine has dimmed in recent years, mirrored by Star Wars fatigue despite a few hit streaming series.
Consider a few recent examples: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga didn’t quite capture the same magic that Fury Road did back in 2015. And Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny barely registered as a cultural blip, its hero not resonating with newer audiences. Even The Flash stumbled, pinning hopes on an old Batman that holds little sway over younger viewers. It turns out that catering primarily to middle-aged men and hardcore fans isn’t filling theater seats.
Yet, nostalgia can be incredibly lucrative. Take Jurassic World: Dominion — it raked in over $1 billion in 2022, despite poor reviews. No surprise, then, that Universal’s pushing forward with the franchise full steam ahead, hoping another back-to-basics approach will click. It might just work because fans seem to adore dinosaurs and are okay with familiar formulas, as seen with Alien: Romulus’s reception last year.
On the flip side, the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot is rolling in as Marvel’s top priority post-Disney’s acquisition of Fox’s substantial library. They say the third time’s the charm, but there’s added pressure to revitalize the MCU, especially as it’s been struggling to regain its footing. With Deadpool and Wolverine’s nostalgic success, maybe setting the Fantastic Four in a retro alternate-universe Space Race offers more than meets the eye. It raises the question of direction, especially if the current crop of progressive Marvel characters isn’t resonating well as the Multiverse Saga wraps up around 2027.
Elsewhere, we’ve got a live-action How To Train Your Dragon that may add nothing new, Disney remakes of classics like Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, and Ethan Hunt’s tale possibly concluding with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. Then there’s the Minecraft movie, arriving fashionably late over a decade in the making. Not all will be flops, but this is the ‘slop era’ audiences shrug about where IP reigns supreme. True originality in high-concept blockbusters is a rare delicacy these days.
In this landscape, James Cameron’s third Avatar movie stands out as something ‘fresh,’ mainly because it’s not rubbing shoulders with tired old IPs or adapting a game or comic. Yet, the first Avatar will be a teenager by then, so maybe the newer films also flirt with nostalgia. I adore them for their visionary flair, but reality’s biting.
I’m not going to pretend here; I’m genuinely excited about a bunch of these films, maybe for different reasons. Maybe it’s the hope that the storytellers can breathe life into these worn-out tales that once had simpler allure. It’s a gamble that often rewards me, with my ‘glass half full’ perspective. Yet, I’d love to see more unexpected head-turners, akin to Jordan Peele’s works or Ryan Coogler’s unique contributions.
Interestingly, the Predator series seems set on fresh storytelling that still keeps old fans happy, like 2022’s Prey demonstrated. And, hopeful murmurs circle Star Wars with progressive proposals like a post-Skywalker film led by Rey or a distant prequel about the Jedi’s roots and the dawn of the Force. Until then, brace yourselves for more of the usual: X-wings and Imperial Rants galore.
As we tread deeper into this decade, with a rather dark global backdrop, people will likely flock to films and TV for a quick escape. That’s the essence of entertainment — a delightful distraction. Yet, there’s value in urging art to confront present challenges and daringly chart a course forward, step by step, towards brighter tomorrows.
The current vibe is like we’re caught in limbo, unsure if we’re more haunted by the shadows of our past or the uncertainties of what’s next. Meanwhile, the bigwigs backing mainstream content seem sure of one thing: sticking with the tried and true. It’s your move, Hollywood.
