IP franchises eclipsed original films as studios chased international markets

Evidence

The shift toward IP intensified as studios increasingly relied on international markets to offset declining American movie theater attendance. Sequels and franchises dominated because of their universal appeal. The Marvel Cinematic Universe launched with Iron Man in 2008. The Twilight saga began the same year, spawning five box office hits. Animated films like Despicable Me (2010), with its toy-friendly Minions and Pharrell Williams score, were engineered for global success. By 2011, nine out of the ten top-grossing films were sequels. — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 215