Athena Hallet
It appears that with every new release that incorporates the “woke” agenda, Hollywood loses money. Number fell a billion and half dollars from the projected total in 2023, however, Hollywood seems to be under the impression that everyone is still on board with “woke” media. Let’s see why that might be a problem.
Unpopular Messaging
Hollywood has been attempting to connect with everyday people and make films that they think people want to watch.
Sadly, the information they get from their viewers, are from people that all reside in the same state. The result of this is that the media they produce is typically poorly received, and is hyper focused on values and aesthetics that don’t appeal to everyone. It seems like Hollywood is trying to push a message that condemns anyone that doesn’t have the same beliefs as it does.
Hollywood Has Issues
While many might recall a recent SAG writers strike, Hollywood has also encountered numerous other issues as of late, including delays, disruptions and complete flops.
In particular, superhero films, which were a huge hit up until recently, have seen a decline in popularity. For example, Madame Web, saw a 67% decline after its first week in theaters.
Woke
Defining “woke” is a bit of a challenge, people tend to use the term in their own way. Generally, if something is “woke” it is trying to sell a specific brand of moral messaging.
The egregious nature of woke messaging is in the way it treats the audience. It belittles them and treats them as if they are children, no one is going to be receptive to that kind of treatment, especially when it comes to entertainment and movies.
Woke Messaging Sinks Marvel Releases
Hollywood has also witnessed its fair share of disappointments with Marvel, which is difficult to comprehend, especially for those that remember how powerful the releases of these movies used to be.
Under the ownership of Disney, the company tanked. Without a solid direction, ingrained woke messaging, and a lack of substance in its scripts, it came as no surprise to fans when their films didn’t do well.
Writers’ Strike Has A Huge Impact
It is understandable that writers play a pivotal role in the production of films. However, during the writers’ strike, many people simply avoided working for Hollywood because of their contracts.
Hollywood’s attempt to diminish the significance of writers proved to be unsuccessful, and the strike was responsible for months of delays, which contributed to a loss that was around half a billion dollars.
Fewer Films
In 2019, right before the COVID pandemic halted the world as we knew it (including movie theaters). Hollywood had planned to release 108 films during the year.
That declined to 88 In 2023, less films with bad writing and delayed scheduled releases are part of the continued problem for Hollywood in 2024.
Adjusting Budgets
It’s been quite a while since Hollywood has released a blockbuster film that heavily relied on preachy morals to sell itself. And it seems that this is the reason why many moviegoers just aren’t going to the movies anymore.
The prevalence of big-budget flops, poor-quality scripts, and an overbearing amount of special effects have turned movies from something to look forward to into a display of technology. It is obvious that Hollywood needs to make adjustments if it wants to improve its current issues.
Concerns
Hollywood anticipates that 2024 will be a moderately favorable year, with projected earnings around $8 billion.
Given the substantial spending for projects that just aren’t yielding a good return, Hollywood is going to have to learn some hard lessons about what they are doing that simply isn’t working.
Successes
Despite the extreme downfalls, one or two movies stand out as big successes.These films are a perfect example of what Hollywood is doing wrong with the rest of its productions.
Films like Barbie and Oppenheimer have become sleeper favorites because they speak to their audience. The writing is good and they have exceptional beat development that audiences have been craving.
Optimism
Hollywood has struggled with making things that people want to watch. While there have been strokes of genius, most of the public has moved on from big-budget spectacles of the past.
However, within the community, there is significant optimism about a potential rebound in 2025. Studios expect things to turn a corner by that time, with people getting more used to movies again
Changes Need To Be Made
If they are going to bounce back, Hollywood will need to have more success than just two films.
Typically the movies that audiences avoid are the ones that are trying to push morality to the audience. Companies like Disney are more interested in their ESG scores than their media.
Rebuilding Films
Films that are regarded as masterpieces or classics, such as Dune and Barbie, aren’t trying to force an audience to do something they aren’t comfortable with, contrary they are actually paying homage to something their audiences love.
Films such as these have exceptional writing and in-jokes that the audience gets, and don’t try to change too much about the source work they’re based on. The outcome is an excellent film that viewers enjoy.
Will Hollywood Turn A Corner?
While there is optimism among many studios about potential changes in Hollywood, managers and directors are going to have to diligently work to move away from what they have been doing as of recently. Woke media isn’t anyone’s favorite.
If Hollywood is under the assumption that it is a fad, and it will fizzle out soon without them having to make changes, they could be in for a rude awakening.
Money
Disney and other similar companies have made woke messaging a core aspect of their movie experience, and prior to now they have been able to get away with it. However, now consumers are pushing back on the rhetoric.
With more people straying away from movies that are produced by these media giants, it seems they are learning the hard way that “woke” movies just don’t sell.
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