It seems the perception of sequels is now a problem for the studios, along with the perception of prequels, reboots, and any other term that hints at a recycling of earlier movie releases. Variety published an article recently concerning studios’ fears about alienating its gen-Z and millennial (gen-Y) audiences with a flood of movies stemming from franchises, given the predominant view of these films as recycled material. The studios’ fears are well founded since Fandango reports that these age groups constitute the largest moviegoing bloc, and Tubi’s streaming insights survey reveals that these same groups prefer fresh, creative content. In referring to seventy-four percent of gen-z and millennials, Tubi concludes that “viewers are increasingly seeking fresh and innovative ideas that push the boundaries of what’s possible instead of rehashed versions of existing stories.”

Over more than two generations, we have seen seventeen Star Wars movies, three of which were marketed as prequels. Over the last generation, twelve Spiderman, seven Jurassic Park, six Scary Movie, and four Bad Boys films have been released in theaters. There have only been four John Wick movies over the last twelve years, but there are at least three others in the works—one of which is rumored to be an animated prequel. According to Variety, the studios insist that while these films are franchise releases, and they often have the same characters played by the same actors, the movies are nonetheless original stories. Convinced? 

There is no doubt that each franchise installment has its own twists and turns, but the character development and the story outcomes are largely predictable. At times, though, the movies are filled with good action and strong villains that make them interesting and occasionally immersive. Still, at some point, this gets monotonous and predictable, right? 

Regarding Star Wars sequels, Cup of Tea Critiques’s Chris Chaisson casually commented that he was “done,” adding, “there’s been so many at this point, I’m just done.” Chris is a millennial, so his statement supports Tubi’s conclusion that this age group is beginning to feel disaffected by the ongoing march of franchise releases. Check out the Cup of Tea Critiques podcast “What makes sequels and serials work” for more on this topic.

Unless the practice of producing these recyclable films is exploitative, blaming the studios for leaning into movies that make money is a bit disingenuous. After all, the studios are in business to do just that. But like anything, this tactic of repeatedly going with what has worked in the past risks alienating audiences and losing their trust. It can turn moviegoers into TV watchers and make blithe responses like “there ain’t nothing at the show anyway” a refrain when we ask our cousin or bestie if they want to go to the movies. The studios see reframing the releases as a solution to this quandary. One idea proposed consists of avoiding the use of words like “sequel” and “reboot” in the movie titles, for example. Another idea involves stopping the practice of using Arabic or Roman numerals to designate the franchise installment. Still another is to call the film something entirely different. Neither are viable options, since all completely disassociate the new films from their franchises, which affects the movies’ marketability and defeats the point of investing in such films.

I am not saying I have a solution for balancing studio priorities with audience tastes. I do, however, echo Cord Jefferson’s remarks during his 2024 Oscar acceptance speech for Best Screenplay for his film, American Fiction, when he said: “Instead of one $200 million film, make twenty $10 million ones. . . . The next Scorsese and Greta are out there, and they just want a shot.” 

What I have learned about film over the last twenty-five years or so is that there are many talented writers with wonderful stories to tell, and they are just bursting at the seams for opportunities to show what they can do. Maybe studios can take a pass on some of the recyclables and look in unobvious places or for unfamiliar names and faces in search of original material just waiting to be found.