The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tampa chapter.
It seems like every day, some new film or TV show is announced. Whether it be the latest indie movie from A24 or a superhero picture from Marvel Studios, the entertainment industry works non-stop. They pump out projects as if it’s no big deal. Whenever I open up any social media platform, there’s some new casting or another sequel. Entertainment today is a well-oiled machine that won’t stop any time soon.
While I can give props to how productive the industry is today, is the quantity being prioritized over quality? As stated previously, Marvel Studios and Disney put out something new every month. It’s become so excessive in numbers that I can’t truly remember the last project I’ve kept up with. There are only a couple of months between every show release, and while the Marvel fanbase is devoted when comparing it to its demographic, it seems like its timing is just unfortunate. It’s not like we’re in quarantine where everyone has an immense time at home; people have resumed their lives. When considering its generally young demographic between working, school, and social lives, it’s difficult to keep up with each project. As I stated previously, the quality of these projects has become concerning. When She-Hulk: Attorney at Law came out, many people noticed the decreasing quality of CGI in the show. As they pump out shows on a cycle, the crew cannot keep up with the usual mesmerizing effects. But it’s not just with the comic powerhouse where we see superhero movies decline in quality. A prime example of this is Madame Web (2024). While I haven’t watched the film, I did have a friend talk to me about how disappointed they were. They mentioned how when they watched the trailers in comparison to the actual film, it felt like they weren’t led to the right storyline. Multiple shots were led to believe as a major part of the film’s narrative; meanwhile, they were merely short clips in the film. In all, it’s the audience experience that matters most when it comes to television or film. If the audience starts to take notice of issues that put a damper on their experience, maybe it’s time studios take their new visions one at a time.
One can easily notice that we are in the age of remakes within the film industry. Whether it be live-action versions of Disney’s golden age classics or a musical version of a 2000s cult classic, remakes are all the rage now. But with remakes coming out every couple of months, they might just be beating a dead horse. Most of the time, the classics withstand the test of time. So, a remake seems sort of redundant. For an industry revolving around telling stories, it seems like we tell the same ones over and over again. More often than not, the remakes also aren’t very well received by fans of the classics. For instance, Mean Girls (2024) was met with mixed reviews. While it wasn’t an exact remake, as it was the cinematic production of the Broadway musical, its songs weren’t the main point of criticism. A lot of the comments regarded the film’s costuming, dialogue, and even product placements. It’s tough to see this happen to such a beloved cult classic, but sometimes movies like these don’t need a revival if they were never dead. As the old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
While my statements are purely subjective, and I am by no means an expert, I think it’s clear that the entertainment industry may need to realign its vision. While commercial and financial aspects are important, so is creativity. For an industry powered and created by wondrous minds who desire to tell stories through artistic mediums, creativity, and imagination feel as if they’ve been swept under the rug. I think it’s time that longevity is defined not by box-office sales and views within a week but by the stories that resonate across generations.