Not a single original film broke the box office top 15 in 2024
Not a single original film broke the box office top 15 in 2024
Franchises and sequels dominated the 2024 box office. The only movie in the top 15 not based on an existing film was "Wicked," which was based on a Broadway musical.
I'm going through my watch list of original films from 2024. It certainly doesn't look like a quality problem.
The Substance, Cuckoo, A Real Pain, Heretic, The Piano Lesson, The Wild Robot (does being based on a book count?), Conclave, Here, Thelma, Your Monster, Oddity, Strange Darling, Hundreds of Beavers, Blink Twice, Rebel Ridge, Didi, Kinds of Kindness, Wildcat, In a Violent Nature, I Saw the TV Glow, Civil War, Sasquach Sunset, Love Lies Bleeding, Monkey Man, Riddle of Fire, Lisa Frankenstein, Orion and the Dark, and Drugstore June.
All great mentions, but Hundreds of Beavers has been living in my head since I watched it, easily my favourite of 2024.
Out of that entire list, the only one I had heard of is The Wild Robot. Maybe the problem is marketing?
does being based on a book count?
Yes, The Wild Robot is technically an IP owned by the author Peter Brown.
Yeah in my top ten list (of which only one I saw at home rather than in theaters), the only movies that were based on existing IP were Dune Part Two, The Wild Robot, and Godzilla Minus One.
People on the Internet often say that they want more original movies, but the box office proves that this isn't always the case.
This is why Hollywood keeps making sequels, reboots, and adaptations, because they make more money than original movies.
And for that matter, original movies are still being made - they've just skipped theaters and moved to streaming (again, because they're not as profitable as preexisting IP).
People have voted with their wallets. This is what the general public wants, whether we like it or not.
I read that there is a cultural shift in how and when people go to the theaters, the pricing makes go to the movies a more rare occasion, same with the option with streaming, so I figure there is less "movie people" that goes regularly to watch different things and more "entertainment people" that goes to have a good time with friends or family, like going to an amusement park, so people prefer more "safer bets" and movies for the whole family. At the same time with declining revenue theaters are focusing on movies that appeal to the largest possible public.
I truly wonder if the same is reflected in streaming. Sure this generic movies are always on the top 10 when they come out but maybe there is more viewership to other niche movies in aggregate.
@TheImpressiveX
What this proves is that theaters do better with big spectacle films (like franchise films tend to be). When I watch a trailer, I decide if I want to watch it at home or at a theater and I only really go to the theater for movies like Twisters or Deadpool & Wolverine. Smaller films are better enjoyed on the couch at home. Just my take.I'd argue the problem is that Hollywood has lost the ability to make cheap movies, and thus if it doesn't gross a billion dollars, it's a flop.
A stupid example, I'll admit, but I think most people will agree was good: The Breakfast Club. It had a $1 million budget, which isn't shit even adjusted for inflation (about $3 million).
Maybe they should find people who can make a movie for less than a hundred million and see if they come up with any winners?
I would say that I personally want to see more original movies, but I wouldn't think to argue that the general public feels the same. I'm not surprised about this outcome at all.
The number of people on the internet making that statement is a much smaller number than the number of people who go to the movies. For every person saying they want more original content there are Hundreds if not thousands of people who don’t care and just go see the latest blockbuster that feels like a safe bet.
The box office isn’t the internet , so 👋
Capitalists are not culture makers; especially with the current fascist extractors.
This is why you should refuse calling what you make "content" and "data"; including all your social media interactions and any bureaucratic information about you.
It's your labor and creativity, not content.
It's your life and personal history, not data.
Deny capitalists your time and money, your content and data.