All around the world, there are young filmmakers trying to raise the minimum amount of money to make their films. They receive little to no salary for their work, and often pay their team below minimum wage. They’re working other jobs, doing things they barely like — all in the name of passionate creation.
And when they finally make something they’re proud of? No one wants to distribute. So their films show at a few festivals (that all cost money to submit), and they win back maybe 1/20th of what they spent.
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And yet, here I am today to announce that Warner Bros. is in early talks to remake sci-fi classic The Matrix.
Every single week there is news about a movie we’ve all already seen. Whether it’s Disney’s ridiculous desire to turn all of its classics into live action features, or the latest in the Marvel and DC race to bore us all to death with characters we’ve known since birth.
It’s infuriating, because the possibilities for film are endless — but the industry is insisting on playing it safe. Instead of taking risks on new stories, studios are exploiting your nostalgia for maximum profit. The aim is brainless entertainment. The aim is bums on seats.
Remember that 1999 sci-fi classic, The Matrix? It’s taking the red pill, and getting a reboot
And there’s nothing wrong with that: sometimes people don’t want to think. Sometimes, after a long week, you want to watch some hot people fight while cars blow up in the background. These films aren’t the problem. The problem is the market saturation, the problem is not even having the choice to support new original content.
If I were to go to my local cinema right now, I’d have exactly four original movies to watch — and I’m including A Dog’s Purpose and The Great Wall in that, despite the fact that neither are actually novel ideas.
And, yes, people have been complaining about the death of cinema since it was born, but consider these statistics: in March 1997, 83% of the wide releases in the US were original (i.e. not adaptations, remakes or sequels). In March 2007, that number dropped to 77%. And in March 2017? Of the wide releases in the US, only 47% contain completely original content.
I’m not the only one peeved: not a single person I’ve encountered wants The Matrix to be rebooted. After all, its biggest pull was its sheer originality.
Hollywood is rebooting The Matrix. pic.twitter.com/NXVqLs4g5c
— Clayton TheGIFGuy
(@IGIF_) March 15, 2017
The Matrix is an iconic blockbuster. Even if you don’t like it, it’s ingrained in culture.
You don’t remake that.— DoctorDoom (@Acidic_Heart) March 15, 2017
“Warner Bros. in early talks to reboot The Matrix.” pic.twitter.com/rxMy6RClzQ
— Charles Lai (@comtar) March 15, 2017
Audiences are welcoming original creations with open arms. Jordan Peele’s social horror Get Out has raked in US$100 million on a US$4 million budget, despite it not having been released outside the US yet. The film turns the horror genre on its head, with critics and viewers alike singing its praises.
So, why then, are studios so afraid to commit to new voices? Why do they not trust that we as an audience will enjoy new content? Why are we letting talented individuals be pushed aside for Resident Evil and Xander Cage films?
I’d love to watch a live action Mulan — I’m only human. But I’d sell my left kidney to have new, creative films to engage with. Jordan Peele isn’t the only new director on the block that can get audiences excited for original content — we just need to give the others a chance. Because I can only hear about Batman and Iron Man for so much longer before I shoot myself into the sun.
