Original movies: a dying breed? 

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There have been multiple amounts of movies coming out in these last few years which are either sequels, reboots, prequels etc. and many people are wondering if Hollywood has an original idea left in its body.

Majority of these reboots are fairly poor in quality, and if I have to list them I would have sore fingers. A movie that came out recently though is an example of why reboots can be a good idea, and that movie is Mad Max: Fury Road. It was masterfully made by the original director of the franchise which is different but stuck to its roots at the same time. So it’s not always bad, but why do they keep doing it even if the gamble is still high? 

  
 Now, I do have an idea why many studios want to do reboots: money. Believe it or not movies studios and producers want only one thing: money, and who can blame them I mean it is their jobs and life hood on the line.

So to be safer when it comes to earning money a franchise that already has a pre-existing fan base is always a good way to earn money. Also the box office don’t lie, as many of these reboots earn a hell of a lot of money despite quality. 

Pitch Perfect 2 is a sequel that came out recently, and crushed the box office with its 70 million dollar box office in the US alone. Tomorrow land, an original (ish) idea based on the Disney land theme ride made only around 30+ million in its opening weekend, granted the reviews have been mixed. This is just one of the many examples of sequels, prequels etc. making heaps of money. So of course if it keeps making the dough, the studios will keep making bread. 

  
But are original films dying? No. There are (believe it or not) many original films coming out this whole year: Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, Crimson Peak, Black Mass, The Hateful Eight are some mainstream ones I can think off, but most original films which are coming out this year are mostly indie films. 

  
What’s the lesson then? 

If you want more original films, then support them when they come out in cinemas! That’s the only way original ideas can still be kept in the mainstream film industry. If you want to watch more original films, then expand yourself to other styles and see for yourself the many options that the

2 thoughts on “Original movies: a dying breed? ”

  1. Last year was almost a renaissance in putting original film back in the spotlight. Off the top of my head I can think of Birdman, Interstellar, Whiplash, Nightcrawler, Inherent Vice and It Follows that all got quite significant acclaim (and some got academy showcase). Part of me thinks it’s a shame that original film is the minority swallowed up by all this forgettable trash. Then part of me thinks that it’s okay. It’s always been this way, and it provides contrast for the great films to stand out against.

    I would agree with you that the best thing people can do is support original cinema, but sadly it’s just not what people want. People do spend money in the masses to see the next installment of the marvel cinematic universe. Essentially paying to watch a feature length trailer for the next film in the franchise. If that’s where the money goes, then that’s what the studies will keep pumping out.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That is very true that last year had a great category of mainstream original films, but yes that is the sad reality isn’t it that people just want entertainment. I can’t deny though that I adore all these big franchises a lot (comic book movies are one of my Favourite genres).
      I say we should enjoy movies for whether they are good or not, not whether it be original or reboot!
      I loved your comment thanks for it 🙂

      Like

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