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“They said the age of heroes would never come again," says Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman wonderingly in 2017's Justice League, referring to the rise of metahumans (DC's in-universe term for superheroes) like herself, Superman, the Flash, and so on. It has indeed come in our world, and I cannot wait for it to be over. No, we are not beset by (that we know of) by intergalactic warlords like Steppenwolf or Darkseid and there aren't any spandex-clad creatures flying or swinging through our cities, shooting laser beams from their eyes or web from gadgets and whatnot. What I do see is, as a movie buff, a cinematic landscape overrun by superhero movies, movies based on established IPs, sequels, prequels, and remakes. 

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There is some indication that your typical moviegoer may be worn out by the inundation of cinema halls by these kinds of movies over the last decade and a half. There is a new hunger for original content in the air. But movie studios may be slow to catch up, which would surprise absolutely no one.

Also Read: Explained: How Disney is trying hard not to fail as Marvel magic wanes

Why studios are retreating to time-hallowed franchises

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From Disney to Warner Bros Discovery, movie studios are falling back to old, tried-and-tested intellectual properties (IPs). After removing Bob Chapek as CEO, Disney announced "restructuring" which inevitably meant layoffs. 7,000 employees (3 per cent of its workforce) lost their jobs. Bob Iger, who had also led the company through its most profitable tenure from 2005 to 2020, was brought in from retirement and he quickly made it clear that his priority is profit. Earlier, in his original tenure he had expanded aggressively by acquiring valuable (in terms of popular appeal and expected returns) IPs like Pixar, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Marvel Entertainment. Now, he means to cash in on all that IP goodness to earn moolah and bring the company back on track.

The company recently announced Toy Story 5, Frozen 3, and Zootopia 2. The MCU juggernaut will not stop until remains profitable for the company. And judging purely by the box office numbers, the movies in the cinematic universe remain moneymaking and this may be just a brief lull after the mega extravaganzas that were the last two Avengers movies. 

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At Warner Bros, or more accurately Warner Bros Discovery, the new CEO of the entity David Zaslav was also handed the reins of a beleaguered, loss-making company. And his response, too, was predictably dismal. Under his watch, the $90 million Batgirl movie, which was already relegated to an HBO Max (RIP!) streaming release, was cancelled altogether for presumably tax write-off purposes. He cancelled or put on sale a lot of other stuff, and at the same time announced an ambitious 10-year plan for the floundering DC property. 

He instated James Gunn and his producing partner Peter Safran as co-heads of DC Studios, a successor to DC Films. This approach might actually do some good to DC movies, but it might be too little, too late. 

Also Read: Marvel's loss is DC's gain: How DC Studios can cash in on MCU's struggles to outdo competition

Is a focus on big-budget blockbusters new?

To be fair, all that isn't new. Ever since Steven Spielberg invented the modern blockbuster with 1975's Jaws, crowd-pleasers have dominated the box office charts. But things have never been so heavily skewed towards franchises and sequels as they are now. In the past, successful movies would often inspire sequels or spin-offs, but they were not the only game in town. There was still room for original stories to be told, and they could often find success on their own merits.

With each new instalment of a successful franchise, the stakes are higher, and the budgets become larger. This creates a cycle of dependence, where studios feel the need to keep churning out sequels and prequels to meet the demand for more content from fans. There are people I know who get nonplussed while watching Marvel movies unless they come across a mention or connection or reference or Easter egg to another character or movie within the MCU every fifteen minutes or so. It is all unchallenging fluff that is not suited for the discerning movie buff.

Also, the COVID-19 pandemic may have hit a mortal blow to the theatrical experience as we know it. Now, a lot of people prefer staying at home unless the film provides spectacle and boasts of lots of visual effects. 

In a nutshell, things have never been so dire.

Also Read: Explained: From The Matrix to The Terminator, how artificial intelligence in cinema reflects our hopes, fears

Why big studios are usually loath to finance original films 

The trend may be seeing an encouraging reversal, but for the most part, movies based on original ideas are becoming rare, and it is now unheard of an original movie not backed by a major director or star being financed by any of the big studios. A24 is one exception as it is one indie studio that has done a unique thing of turning itself into a brand, a place, where you can watch weird, exciting, and auteur-driven movies.

But as I said, A24 is an exception to the rule. So why do big studios rarely put their weight behind original stuff? One major factor is the current business model of the film industry, which seriously needs an overhaul. It places a premium on big-budget blockbusters and franchises that have a proven track record of success. As a result, studios are more likely to invest in sequels, remakes, and adaptations of popular books, comics, or video games rather than taking risks on untested ideas.

Also Read: Explained | Controversy around Friends: A classic sitcom or a relic of a less diverse era?

Financing original content will actually benefit studios

And we know from recent developments, the execs making those stupid decisions are misguided. A24's Everything Everywhere All At Once became a worldwide phenomenon on a budget of $14.3–25 million, grossing more than $139 million. And of course, it took pretty much every major award at the Oscars. Even Rian Johnson's Knives Out was made on only (in blockbuster terms) $40 million and went on to gross $311.9 million. These movies are proof that clever, creative marketing can propel compelling stories to success even if a Tom Cruise or a Dwayne Johnson is not involved in the project.

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