Every Franchise Is Dying
I'm sick of constantly hearing news about each franchise out there. It seems as though we can't go more than a few months without seeing a beloved franchise being turned into nothing more than a megaphone, used by people to spout whatever the new trendy message is.
Social Commentary
Stories have always been used to subtly convey some kind of message, and they're usually good ways to present ideas, so long as the writers and creators are able to do so without being heavy-handed.
Many filmmakers, writers, and even musicians were able to do so lightly, and their number one goal was to write a good song or tell a good story first; that was their primary goal. Now, however, it very much seems like people - somehow - find themselves at the head of studios, in charge of franchises they don't even like. It's as if they get in, sit down, and say, "I hate this particular franchise, so I'm going to turn it into a vehicle to put forward these things I've been thinking about," Or, more likely they say, "I hate this particular franchise, and I've been told to put forward X, Y, and Z messages, and I'll be the one to take the flack from annoyed fans of this franchise."
It sucks to see it constantly happen, and the most reason I've heard about this morning is Halo. I'm just sick of everything I like, and that I've grown up with being destroyed.
It's not like a new audience is being brought into any of these franchises, instead, the old audience is just being alienated.
Fans Fiction
I'm starting to think that fans should just start creating their own stories within the universe, and just take creative control from the muppets who constantly find themselves in control of these franchises.
There should be some sort of renaissance for people who have had enough of seeing their favourite characters being turned into shadows of their former selves.
Fan fictions have always kind of been a big part of different franchises, so maybe it's time for them to start overtaking the studios, and start creating some actual good stories for a change.
It used to be that fan fiction was nowhere near as good as what studios could create, but now it seems to be the exact opposite.
Rather than watching stuff from franchises pumped out by big Hollywood studios, you should try watching some of the non-American films that are being produced.
Korea, Turkey, Russia and India are all making some interesting films, although they tend to be either brilliant or complete turkeys, and you sometimes have to soak in the culture a bit to get over the lower budgets. Chinese films sadly are too often influenced by Hollywood, but there's an occasional gem.
The issue with franchises is really down to the place the USA finds itself in culturally. Films are written by committees that have to meet social engineering targets first, and entertainment ones second; they are terrified of being labelled as discriminatory or not including every interest group in the casting choices. It's very McCarthyist !
That's the sad thing about it at the moment, it's just such a shame that all of these great games, movies and TV shows had to produced where they are.
There are some exceptions to the rule, but not many these days.
I've watched a good few South Korean shows and movies, and I have to say, it's like a breath of fresh air in many cases when I watch some of what they're doing, I just wish the rights of some good franchises could be bought by some other countries.
If you haven't seen "Kingdom" yet, it's worth it. It's a historical series, and around the end of season 1/start of season 2 there's an amazing plot twist that I totally didn't see coming. I won't say any more (spoilers would spoil it), but it's brilliant 😁
Yeah it’s pretty crazy and sad what’s happening to these things we once enjoyed. I think a lot has to do with the absolute garbage creativity is pushed forward in this toxic cesspool that is DEI and ESG. Both of which are the antithesis of creativity and only serve to destruct things in its path.
And they are too stupid to realize that there are ways to include certain messages in the games, movies etc, that actually fit in with the theme of that thing. I mean look at the MGS series. The game has a lot of political messaging in it but it actually fits in with the theme of the game and never feels like it is being forced down our throats.
The biggest problem I think are people who think they can create a better story than the creators of that universe, in the case of tv/movies. Look at The Witcher. The head screenwriter never wanted anyone who actually knew the lore in the writing room because she wanted to create her own thing.
Another example from what I hear is the Halo show.
And these are the very people they are trying to get to watch their thing. I don't understand this mentality. If you make something based on an IP its your job to make it as faithful and lore friendly to that as possible.
Media today just fucking sucks