Hollywood will always try to find the easiest way to make a dollar if there is one. The public is constantly force fed bloated, over hyped and badly executed sequels from mostly tired franchises. For some reason Hollywood thinks that if ANY movie is a hit, than you need to create a sequel.
This is the same unimaginative, greedy thinking that gets re-makes that no one asked for made as well as big screen adaptations of TV shows. The odds are against these type of films because they are usually rushed to the screen and in many cases ends up shitting on the legacy of a much loved classic (”Star Wars” anyone?).
Here are some examples of movies the public did not ask for, then end up tanking at the box office or with critics:
“Basic Instinct 2″
“Mission Impossible 3″
“Miss Congeniality 2″
“The Fast And The Furious 3: Tokyo Drift”
“Oceans 12″
“Dirty Dancing 2″
Here are some movies in the works that have the potential to be flops:
“Rush Hour 3″
“Evan Almighty”
“Rambo 4″
“Rocky Balboa”
“Indiana Jones 4″
“Old School 2″
“Hulk 2″
“Wedding Crashers 2″
“Superman 2″
“Oceans 13″
“Terminator 4″
Another angle that is often executed badly is the idea of making a prequel to an already successful movie franchise. This approach is fast becoming the new route studios take when looking to make a fast buck. But much like the idea of re-makes, sequels and TV to big screen adaptations this strategy often backfires. We end up getting soggy, regurgitated plots that over explain things. These movies prove this point:
“The Exorcist: Dominion”
“Dumb & Dumberer”
“Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning”
The decision by movie studio heads to re-hash old ideas more times than not, turns out to be a bad one. This means that Hollywood doesn’t have a clue as to what the hell people really want. Instead of pouring millions of dollars into lifeless, risky projects they should be molding young screenwriters and encouraging new ideas. Will these prequels do well?:
“Casino Royale”
“Becoming Hannibal”
Some movie sequels fair better and have the exact opposite result. They end up breaking records and creating a buzz in anticipation of the next installment. The “Lord Of The Rings”, “Harry Potter” and “Shrek” movies are films that stick to the formula that made them hits to begin with. These films are rare and special indeed, but are also the reason why studios get so greedy in the first place. A quick note on “LOTR”, Peter Jackson is in talks to make “The Hobbit” which will be amazing I am sure. The only sequel to impress me lately was this summers “Clerks 2″. It came out of nowhere and turned out to be a pitch perfect companion to the first film.
For the past couple of years Hollywood has been struggling with declining ticket sales. The studios have been more reluctant to green light any risky movies they are unfamiliar with, especially those with no big names attached to them. So they churn out safe, predictable movies that insult the public’s intelligence. Netflix, iPods and piracy may be another factor in bad box office draw. But in the end, when it comes down to it, people are getting tired of the Hollywood machine.
“Superman Returns” is a great example of how out of touch Hollywood truly is. It did not perform as well as predicted when it came out this summer, as well as receiving mixed reviews by critics and audiences. This didn’t seem to effect Warner Bros. as they are already preparing to make a sequel.
Next year promises to be no different. There are a number of sequels etc. set for release. I always keep an open mind, but usually am let down. I have high hopes for the following:
“Shrek 3″
“Harry Potter: The Order Of The Phoenix”
“Prince Caspian: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe”
“Batman: The Dark Knight”
“Spiderman 3″
“Sin City 2″
“Hostel 2″
“The Hills Have Eyes 2″
“Pirates Of The Caribbean 3″
“The Bourne Ultimatum”
There will never be an end to the amount of shitty movies that get made, but we as movie watchers have already sent a message to Hollywood. They hear it loud in clear in declining box office receipts. Will we see a creative cinematic revival? Most likely not, Hollywood is too busy telling us what we should like to listen.