Top-grossing films are now almost exclusively sequels and franchise properties
Evidence
- A similar study by Adam Mastroianni, using only the top twenty films each year, showed a similar pattern: “Until the year 2000, about 25% of top-grossing movies were prequels, sequels, spinoffs, remakes, reboots, or cinematic universe expansions. Since 2010, it’s been over 50% every year. In recent years, it’s been close to 100%.” Mastroianni shows a similar pattern for television, music, books, and video games. — Andrew deWaard, Derivative Media, 498
Categorization
- XREF: Directly evidences the reader’s core project tracing ownership structure to artistic form — franchise proliferation as a measurable fact across media, not just film.
- QUESTION: What fraction of that post-2010 shift is attributable specifically to catalog acquisition and financialized ownership vs. other industry pressures?