Look, I’m gonna say it: Hollywood is broken.
There. I said it. And it’s not just me. Last Tuesday, I was at this little café near my place, having coffee with my old friend Marcus (let’s call him Marcus because, honestly, I don’t wanna get sued). We were talking about the new Ghostbusters movie, and he looked at me and said, “You know what’s the problem? They don’t make ’em like they used to.” And I was like, “Marcus, my guy, they do make ’em like they used to. They just make ’em worse.”
I mean, look at the numbers. The new Ghostbusters made $214 million worldwide. That’s not chump change. But the original? $295 million. And that was in 1984, for crying out loud. Adjust for inflation, and we’re talking about a huge difference. So, what’s the deal? Why can’t Hollywood get it right?
It’s not just Ghostbusters, though.
No, no, no. This isn’t just a Ghostbusters problem. It’s a everything problem. Take Star Wars. The prequels? Ugh. The sequels? Even worse. And don’t even get me started on the new Star Trek movies. I mean, J.J. Abrams? Really? The guy who can’t even finish a movie without shoving a twist ending down our throats?
And it’s not just me being a grumpy old man (which, by the way, I am not. I’m 42, thank you very much). I talked to a colleague named Dave—he’s a film critic, been in the biz for about 15 years—and he said, “The problem is, they’re too focused on the money. They’re not making movies for the fans anymore. They’re making movies for the algorithm.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But here’s the thing. It doesn’t have to be this way. There are ways to fix this mess. And no, I’m not talking about some product reviews recommendation guide or a fancy new app. I’m talking about good old-fashioned common sense.
First off, stop remaking everything.
Look, I get it. Remakes are easy money. But at what cost? We’ve seen so many remakes lately, and honestly, most of them are just completley forgettable. Take Mamma Mia!—the sequel, not the original. I mean, come on. We didn’t need a sequel. And we definitely didn’t need another ABBA song stuck in our heads for weeks.
And don’t even get me started on Ocean’s 8. I mean, it was fine. It was fine. But it wasn’t Ocean’s 11. It wasn’t even Ocean’s 12. It was just… there. And that’s the problem. These remakes and sequels and reboots, they’re not there. They’re just taking up space.
Second, give the fans what they want.
This one’s a no-brainer. The fans know what they want. They tell you what they want. And yet, Hollywood keeps ignoring them. Take Star Wars, for example. The fans wanted more of the original trilogy. They wanted more of the characters they loved. But no, instead we got Jar Jar Binks and midichlorians. And then, when the fans complained, they doubled down. They gave us more of the prequels. They gave us more of the sequels. But they never gave us what we really wanted.
And it’s not just Star Wars. It’s everything. The fans wanted more of Breaking Bad. They wanted more of Game of Thrones. But no, instead we got spin-offs and prequels and sequels that nobody asked for. It’s like Hollywood is stuck in this loop of thinking that more is better. But more isn’t better. Good is better.
A tangent: Why is everyone so obsessed with superheroes?
Okay, so this isn’t exactly on topic, but it’s been bugging me for a while now. Why are there so many superhero movies? I mean, I get it. They’re easy to make. You’ve got a built-in audience. You’ve got a built-in villain. You’ve got a built-in ending. But at what cost? We’ve seen so many superhero movies lately, and honestly, most of them are just boring.
And don’t even get me started on the Avengers. I mean, come on. We’ve seen this movie a hundred times before. It’s the same formula every time. The heroes get together. They fight the bad guy. They win. The end. It’s like Hollywood is stuck in this loop of thinking that more is better. But more isn’t better. Good is better.
Back to the point: It’s time for a change.
Look, I’m not saying that Hollywood is completley broken. There are still some good movies out there. There are still some good shows. But the point is, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can do better. We can give the fans what they want. We can make movies that are actually worth watching. But it’s gonna take some committment. It’s gonna take some hard work. And it’s gonna take some guts.
So, Hollywood, are you listening? It’s time for a change. It’s time to stop messing up franchises. It’s time to give the fans what they want. And it’s time to make some good movies again.
And if you’re not gonna do it, then maybe it’s time for someone else to take over. Maybe it’s time for a new generation of filmmakers to step up and show you how it’s done. Because honestly, I’m tired of waiting. I’m tired of seeing the same old crap over and over again. I’m ready for something new. Are you?
About the Author: Jane Doe is a senior magazine editor with over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry. She’s worked for major publications and has a strong opinion on just about everything. When she’s not writing, she can be found yelling at her TV or complaining about the lack of good movies these days.
