Plain English with Derek Thompson cover image

Plain English with Derek Thompson

How Hollywood’s Hit Formula Flopped—and What Could Come Next

Mar 12, 2024
Lucas Shaw, a Bloomberg journalist and co-host of the Town podcast, dives into Hollywood's evolving landscape. He discusses the historical context of Oscars and how popularity and prestige have diverged. With Marvel hits underperforming, Shaw highlights a resurgence of original films like 'Oppenheimer' and 'Barbie,' signaling a shift away from franchise dominance. He explores the changing storytelling techniques influenced by audience preferences and critiques major studios like Disney and Warner Brothers as they adapt to this new cinematic reality.
51:19

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • A shift in audience preferences towards original and daring films is challenging the dominance of franchise-driven blockbusters in Hollywood.
  • Audience fatigue with superhero films is evident, prompting the industry to explore alternative genres and storytelling avenues.

Deep dives

Shift in Hollywood Trends

The discussion revolves around a significant shift in Hollywood trends, particularly focusing on the dominance of franchises and adaptations in the film industry. It delves into the historical evolution from original standalone films in the 1990s to the rise of franchise-driven blockbusters in the 2000s. The current podcast episode highlights a potential inflection point where audience preferences are changing, leading to a reevaluation of the traditional blockbuster formula.

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