As the first photographs of Greta Gerwig’s next Barbie film, directed by her, appeared this week, the internet was awash with tongue emojis and adulation. Barbie is played by Margot Robbie. Ken is played by Ryan Gosling. They unmistakably look the part in terms of casting. However, the film’s existence is only the latest symptom of Hollywood’s creative problem, which we’ve all learned to accept much too easily.
A single film starring characters that have never been in another film is currently showing in a theatre near me. It’s called The Bad Guys, and it’s an animated film about a gang of criminals who want to be nice, and it’s quietly amazing.
Top Gun: Maverick, a 36-years-later sequel, shattered all kinds of records at the box office during the previous two weeks, registering the lowest decrease between its opening and second weeks. The 386th episode of Jurassic Park, titled Jurassic World Dominion in case you’re keeping score, was the only one to dethrone Maverick from the throne. Meanwhile, Lightyear hits cinemas this weekend, and while the internet has a strange appetite for young Buzz, it’s unclear who specifically requested for it. The following two weekends will be occupied by a new Elvis Presley film and a new Minions film, with the latter being a sequel to a spin-off from the massively successful Despicable Me films.
Meanwhile, Ms. Marvel, a lesser-known comic book heroine put into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is possibly the greatest entertainment juggernaut in history, is the most watched show on television this week. Ms. Marvel’s early episodes are pleasant and welcoming, and they seem like a breath of new air in the Marvel universe. Regardless, the series is part of a bigger trend: Although some of the personalities are new, the familiarity is what draws people in. The pilot’s first scene is a display of strength, a list of how many Marvel characters we’ve all memorized.
The greater issue is that obtaining important IP has become a reward for producing appealing work. Barbie is Greta Gerwig’s follow-up to 2019’s Little Women, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award, and 2018’s Lady Bird, which was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Director. Marvel’s Eternals was directed by Chloe Zhao, last year’s best director and best picture winner for Nomadland. Colin Trevorrow, who was hand-picked by Steven Spielberg to direct the Jurassic World trilogy, rose to prominence when his indie smash Safety Not Guaranteed received critical acclaim for its inventiveness. After his revolutionary debut, Fruitvale Station, gave him the legitimacy to direct another major film based on existing IP, 2015’s Creed, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler was drafted to the Marvel side.
The success of the utterly unique and innovative Everything Everywhere All at Once, which became independent company A24’s biggest blockbuster to date, was perhaps the biggest box office delight of the year. Almost every discussion of its outstanding performance, however, emphasizes how unexpected it is. Everything Everywhere seems to have slipped into an area where it wasn’t intended to be and turned into the exception that proved the rule.
