Has Hollywood Run Out of Ideas?

When was the last time you saw a film in the cinema that wasn’t an installment to an existing franchise, an adaptation of a beloved book, or a reincarnation of a movie that had already been brought to the big screen?

Some would take a long time to think of their answer. The major motion picture industry is currently seeing the reemergence of remakes, reboots, and revivals, which is making audiences question if Hollywood is running out of original content.

An example of this resurgence is the 2019 live-action remake of the 1992 animated classic, “Aladdin.” By incorporating songs and backstories which weren’t present in the source material, the new film added a fresh perspective on the characters. Aside from Aladdin, Disney has released more than 10 other remakes in the last 10 years, and are scheduled to release more in the coming years.

Another example is the 2019 adaptation of “Little Women,” the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott. The 2019 version, under Greta Gerwig’s direction, took the story in a different path by intercutting scenes between the past and the present, instead of telling the story linearly. The new film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including “Best Picture.”

Lastly, the release of the new “Charlie’s Angels” reboot in 2019. “Charlie’s Angels” was actually a 1970s television show before it was adapted for the silver screen in 2000. A new film with the same title was produced 19 years later, and it still proved to be an empowering story for women and a box office hit.

Even if critics disparage these movies as “repetitive,” “undiversified,” and “unnecessary,” these films will always have an audience. Moviegoers like to cling to the sense of familiarity and comfort that these stories bring—these stories that we desperately long for in an ever-changing world.

However, the fact that these movies are the type to do well economically is not reason enough for studios to keep repeating these stories over and over again. In a more artistically and creatively fulfilling sense, new stories must be told. New content must be created. New ideas must be shared. Films are one of the world’s most popular forms of art, and its state in popular media must not remain stagnant.