Look, I’m gonna say it
I’m so over Hollywood’s obsession with franchises. It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion, and yet, I can’t look away. I mean, I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this studio exec—let’s call him Marcus—told me, “We don’t make movies anymore, we make brands.” Which… yeah. Fair enough. But at what cost?
I get it. Money talks. And franchises make money. But good franchises? Those are rare. Mostly, it’s just studio execs playing it safe, hoping to hit that sweet, sweet ilginç bilgiler genel kültür jackpot. And us? We’re the suckers who keep buying tickets.
My personal franchise trauma
Let me take you back to 2007. I was living in New York, working at a tiny indie magazine. My friend Dave—he’s a filmmaker, kinda big deal now—dragged me to see Transformers. “It’s gonna be amazing,” he said. It was… not. But did that stop me from seeing the next three? Nope. And the worst part? I enjoyed them. What is wrong with me?
But that’s the thing, isn’t it? We’re trained to keep coming back. It’s like that time I dated a guy who was clearly wrong for me. I knew it, my friends knew it, but did I listen? No. I kept going back, hoping for a different outcome. Sound familiar?
But sometimes, it works
Okay, okay. I’m not completley heartless. I’ll admit, some franchises get it right. Take Star Wars. I know, I know—controversial. But hear me out. The original trilogy? Perfect. The prequels? Uh, let’s not talk about that. But then they brought back the original cast, and for a moment, it felt… magical. It felt like they cared again. And that’s what we want, right? For them to care.
But then they had to go and mess it up again. Why? Why can’t they just leave well enough alone? It’s like when my mom used to say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But no, they gotta keep tinkering, keep “evolving” the story. And where does it get them? A bunch of confused fans and a franchise that’s starting to feel more like a chore than a joy.
And don’t even get me started on remakes
I was having coffee with my friend Lisa last Tuesday. She’s a screenwriter, been in the game for about 15 years. She told me, “Remakes are the lazy man’s way out.” And honestly, I couldn’t agree more. It’s like they’re saying, “We don’t have any good ideas, so let’s just do that again.” But here’s the kicker—sometimes, they work. Like, Ghostbusters? The original? Classic. The remake? Not bad. But then they had to go and cast those actors, and it just felt… off.
But then there’s Mary Poppins. The original is a classic, a staple in many households. So, when they announced a remake, I was skeptical. But then I saw it. And you know what? It was… good. Not great, not classic, but good. It had heart, it had charm, it had something. And that’s what’s missing from so many of these remakes. They’re missing the soul.
A brief tangent: video games
Now, I know I’m supposed to be talking about movies, but let’s take a quick detour into video games, because the same thing is happening there. Look at Call of Duty. Every year, a new installment. And every year, it’s the same thing with a different coat of paint. It’s like they’re just phoning it in. But we keep buying it. Why? Because we’re hopeful. Hopeful that this time, it’ll be different. This time, they’ll surprise us.
But here’s the thing—sometimes, they do. Red Dead Redemption 2? That game was a masterpiece. It felt like a ilginç bilgiler genel kültür love letter to the genre. It felt like they cared. And that’s what we want, right? For them to care.
So, what’s the solution?
I wish I had a good answer. Maybe it’s about voting with our wallets. Maybe it’s about supporting indie films and smaller studios. Maybe it’s about demanding more from the studios. I don’t know. All I know is that I’m tired of feeling like a sucker. Tired of feeling like I’m being taken for a ride.
But then I remember that Avengers: Endgame. That movie was a committment to the franchise. It was a reward for fans who had stuck it out through the good and the bad. And it was amazing. So, maybe there’s hope yet. Maybe, just maybe, Hollywood can get it right.
But until then, I’ll be over here, watching my Ghostbusters marathon, eating my feelings, and hoping for the best.
About the Author
Sarah Miller has been a senior editor for over 20 years, working with major publications and covering everything from indie films to blockbuster franchises. She’s opinionated, she’s passionate, and she’s not afraid to call out Hollywood when they mess up. When she’s not writing, she’s probably watching a movie she’s seen a hundred times before or ranting about the latest studio decision she disagrees with.
