Has Hollywood Lost Originality?
How the Plethora of Remakes are Problematic
Why is Hollywood so Unoriginal?
It may seem like Hollywood actually hates originality due to their constant pattern of releasing unoriginal material. Like most decisions made by the corrupt Hollywood we all know so dearly––it is always about what will put the most money in somebody’s pocket. The reason why remakes guarantee the largest revenue is due to the fact that they come with a “built-in” audience. Fans of the original film are likely to attend the showing of the remake due to their nostalgic feelings toward the story.
Unoriginal Hollywood ideas come in many different forms. These forms include remakes, sequels, spin-offs, and adaptations derived from other films and writing. As time continues, film is exponentially becoming less and less original. Studies show that a third of top grossing Hollywood films lie in this category of unoriginal content, especially in the past ten years.
Why Does this Matter?
It seems harmless that Hollywood is so involved in creating remakes, but that is truly not the case. Although it can become frustrating to viewers that are seeking fresh content in the industry, the people who really suffer the most are writers. As a film writer myself, I am called to be as original as possible: stray away from copying another’s work and only take from others what serves as inspiration, not mimicry. With that being said, Hollywood is actively avoiding these types of scripts. These creative scripts are more of a risk to the cowardly Hollywood producers, which makes them less likely to accept this type of work.
Will This End?
In my opinion, this cannot last much longer. The industry is still very much a straight, white man’s world, and their agenda isn’t in the best interest of the industry, but instead in the interest of the size of their bank accounts. Today, much has been revealed about the corruption within Hollywood, and sooner or later those in power will be pushed out of the industry.
I trust the intuition of those in currently in the shadows to take over and change the course of Hollywood as it stands today. A trend has already begun: putting female film writers, directors, and producers into the front lines of film creation. The LGBTQ+ community will follow suit, given my best guess.
Where Does Hollywood Stand Today?
Let’s take a look at the top grossing films of 2019:
- Avenger’s: Endgame
- Captain Marvel
- Us
- How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
- Shazam!
- Aladdin
- Pokemon: Detective Pikachu
- Dumbo
- Glass
- John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Of the ten films listed above (mind you, these are the movies with the highest selling box office tickets) only ONE of them is an original idea. That film being Jordan Peele’s Us. Every other film is either a sequel, remake, or based off an already existing comic book. These are the sad truths of the industry, and it is our job as audience members to demand creativity to revive itself before we are living in a time of regurgitated art.
October 13, 2019 @ 2:59 pm
Greetings! Very helpful advice on this article! It is the little changes that make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!