Movies Are Dying and We’re Responsible

Something feels off about movies these days. They don’t seem as good as they used to be. Movie  theaters are struggling to survive. And streaming services, once seen as the future of  entertainment, are now leading the charge in a way that’s changing how films are made—for  better or worse. 

What’s going on? And is there any way to fix it?

Streaming Took Over— Not in a Good Way 

At first, streaming services were a game-changer. Platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon  Prime gave people access to movies without the hassle of expensive tickets or sold-out shows.  But now, these companies have become the main way we consume films, and that’s created a  major shift in how movies are made. 

Streaming platforms need a constant flow of new content to keep subscribers engaged. That  means they focus on quantity over quality, cranking out more movies at a faster pace. While  some of these films are great, most feel rushed, forgettable, or overly safe—designed more by  algorithms than creative vision. 

Big-budget Netflix movies like Red Notice (starring The Rock, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot)  should have been massive hits, but instead, they felt bland and soulless. Audiences watched, but  they didn’t care. And that’s the problem—when movies are built to be scrolled past, they don’t  leave an impact. 

At the same time, traditional movie studios are struggling to keep up. Many are shifting their  focus to streaming, sometimes releasing major films directly online instead of in theaters. Warner  Bros. did this in 2021 with their entire slate of films, including Dune and The Matrix  Resurrections, angering both directors and movie theaters. 

Theaters Are Dying and We’re Letting Them

The decline of movie theaters isn’t new, but the pandemic sped things up. In 2020, global box  office sales dropped by 72%, forcing many theaters to shut down. Even now, attendance is down  40% compared to 2019 according to New York Times.

Why? Because people don’t see the value in going to the movies anymore. Tickets are expensive,  concessions cost a fortune, and if a movie is coming to streaming in a few weeks anyway, why  bother leaving the house? 

Theaters aren’t helping themselves, either. Many of them still rely on the same outdated business  model, offering the same overpriced popcorn and soda experience while ignoring how people’s  expectations have changed.

Meanwhile, studios are doubling down on “safe” movies—franchise films, sequels, and remakes —because they know those are the only ones that reliably make money. Original films are  becoming harder to find, especially on the big screen. 

Movies Just Aren’t as Good Anymore 

It’s not just that fewer people are going to the movies—it’s that the movies themselves don’t feel  special. Hollywood has always had highs and lows, but right now, creativity seems to be at an  all-time low. Part of the problem is that studios aren’t just making bad movies—they’re making  movies for audiences that don’t exist. Instead of focusing on the fans who made franchises  successful in the first place, studios are chasing new demographics, often at the expense of the  stories and characters that people actually loved. 

The result? Films that feel like they’re trying to check boxes rather than entertain. Audiences can  tell when a movie has a message to push, and if that comes at the expense of good storytelling,  they tune out. Take The Marvels, which bombed at the box office despite being part of one of the  biggest film franchises in history. Marvel blamed “superhero fatigue,” but that doesn’t explain  why Spider-Man: No Way Home or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 performed well. The real  issue was marketing—Marvel spent more time selling the film as an empowerment statement  than as an exciting adventure, and audiences just didn’t care. The same thing happened with  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, where longtime fans felt like the series had lost its  identity in an attempt to appeal to a different audience. 

Movies succeed when they respect their fan bases while telling compelling stories. Right now,  Hollywood is getting that balance wrong. Instead of focusing on what made their franchises great  in the first place, they’re trying to force a new audience to care—while alienating the one they  already had.

What Can Be Done? 

The movie industry is at a crossroads. It can keep churning out safe, forgettable content, or it can  start making movies that actually feel worth watching again. 

For theaters to survive, they need to offer something special—better food, unique screenings, and  events that can’t be replicated at home. Some theaters, like Alamo Drafthouse, have found  success by creating a more premium experience with great food, strict no-talking policies, and  special film screenings. Others are experimenting with subscription models like AMC’s A-List,  which encourages people to see more movies for a flat monthly fee. 

Studios also need to take risks again. The success of movies like Oppenheimer and Everything  Everywhere All at Once proves that audiences will show up for original, well-made films. But  that only happens if studios are willing to invest in them.

And as moviegoers, we have a role to play too. If we only support the biggest franchise films or  wait for everything to hit streaming, then that’s all we’ll ever get. If we want better movies, we  have to be willing to go out and support them. 

Because if we don’t, Hollywood will keep feeding us the same reheated leftovers—until one day,  there’s nothing left worth watching.