From several strikes in the Hollywood Film Industry pushing back release dates to a decline in box office performances leading to a reconstruction of traditional cinema, 2024 was a rollercoaster, to say the least. But even so, it was a phenomenal year of movies, with unforgettable films like “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Inside Out 2,” and “Wicked” hitting theatres and inspiring a sensation among audiences. So now, with strikes finally over and lessened turmoil within the American industry, surely the path to incredible cinema has become clearer? Unfortunately, as one problem arises after another, we face the most recurring hurdle in all of film: cash grab culture.
In specifically film and media, narrative saturation is the use of the same arc, twist, etc. in a story. This isn’t necessarily negative, but it can quickly become so. Take the Disney princesses: Beautiful on the outside, even more so on the inside, Disney princess movies all have incredibly similar plot structures.
It follows the formula:
- Princess MC (main character) has a strong desire for change/knowledge/etc.
- A second lead (typically the prince) enters the story and helps her attain it, typically. ending in romance between the two.
- Happily ever after.
This formula varies occasionally, especially in more recent Disney Princess movies like “Wish”(November 21, 2023) or (June 22, 2012) “Brave” which strives for a more progressive view of female characters. Even so, this pattern is still a most ideal example of narrative saturation, with most of them having the same ideas and structures, with the only difference being the character and moral of the story. Although effective economically, it can lead to a bored audience from a lazily created plot. Similarly, they also apply methods of adaptation to older movies in order to give them a more novel feel, getting to recycle a story but in a different format. In a combination of laziness, greed, and narrative saturation emerges a pattern where truly creative, well-executed movies are less and less frequently produced with the 2025 movie line-up being an ideal instance of it.
From a source of starry-eyed wonder to teeth-clenched disappointment, American entertainment corporation Disney has fallen down the rabbit hole of live-adaptation fixation; Since their first ever live-recreation in 1994 of “The Jungle Book,” the ratio of live-action to animated has grown closer and closer to equal. It is to be noted that the creation of live-action editions isn’t inherently a bad thing– there are a handful of well-respected recreation that are adored greatly, movies like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Cinderella,” where audiences have been stunned by the combination of gorgeous CGI(Computer) and fantastic casting/acting. But alas, Disney is equally, if not far more, haunted by their renditions of “Pinocchio,” “Mulan,” and many others. You might have thought they’d have learned, but that is, unfortunately, not the case.
- “Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.” As a quote famously from “Lilo & Stitch” that had its audience completely enamored, Disney had created a movie unlike any of its predecessors, revolving around not princesses but family, using the film to touch the hearts of many and bring people together in a way that “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid,” nor the like could have dreamed of achieving. Not only that, it was a beautiful display of culture and acceptance in ways that communicated with the masses. But that was over 20 years ago, and perhaps “Encanto” wasn’t to suffice because incoming May 23, 2025, is the live rendition of “Lilo & Stitch.” In the 30 seconds of their official teaser, not much has been made clear besides Stitch’s appearance which, all things considered, is actually accurate. But looking back at their record, there is still much to be feared.
- On the other hand, their remake of “Snow White” has people pale with disquiet and concerned with its release on March 21, 2025. With confirmed changes to the plot and much casting controversy, crowds have already started critiquing the film, even before its release. Much information has already been released on it, giving a more definite image of how it’ll turn out.
For some, it was an outlet for creativity and connection, a game so novel yet user-friendly that it was the staple entertainment, and for others, Minecraft was childhood itself (especially for those born around the early 2010s). Combined with platforms like YouTube and Twitch, a completely revolutionary age for gaming content occurred, having incredible early traction and its own renaissance during the COVID-19 pandemic, completely changing media and expanding its audience. As it began to die back down (although still notably popular), the expected unexpected occurred: A Minecraft Movie was set into motion. Absolutely bewildering of an event yet completely forecasted many years ago, jaws dropped at the announcement. Many hold reservations concerning the film as it combines animation/CGI and live-action in a far from original way, not sticking to the game as much as audiences would like. With the game holding such fame and reverence to many, its generic adventure theme is a large disappointment to older fans. Due April 4, 2025, and starring famous actors Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge, and many more, it’s projected to be an absolute score for the box office and a loss for its faithful players.
Of course, this doesn’t mean all movies are bad, with many still being beloved and of high quality. It only becomes more evident where such cheap methods are most applied with movies like the live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” and the reboot of “Smurfs” also planned for this year: children’s movies. It’s easy out for filmmakers when it comes to children’s movies; They’re less critical, aren’t very picky, and are appeased with bright colors and simple humor. With quality writing and plot holes not being a concern, the practice of making a movie that’s appealing to more than one age group(more than the 10 and under group) isn’t necessary for revenue, so there isn’t an incentive for corporations to consistently follow it.
An apparent exception to this is the recently released “DOG MAN” movie, a surprising success with viewers. At an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score, “DOG MAN” is a good representation of what adaptation should be: styled, fun, and, above all else, knowledgeable of what it is and its goal. Animated and written like a graphic novel with great respect to its original, “DOG MAN” was successful in satisfying its audiences and taking 2nd place in Box Office revenues globally.
At a school where cultural diversity is the norm, American culture can sometimes seem odd, especially in film. Driven by economic incentives, movie reboots, sequels, live adaptations, and overall questionable choices have led cinema audiences to become wary of what is next. With the rest of 2025 ahead, only time will tell how far cinema will unravel. But, the so far released content concerning this year’s films has given us a heads up on what’s to come, and it’s looking like a bumpy ride.
