Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Estelle Artus's avatar

This is so interesting - especially for me as a filmmaker currently making a 'Romance' movie.

I think the industry just realized that it's much easier to make an average thriller, drama, or action movie. If not great, it can still pass for it. No such thing with a romantic comedies. It's unwatchable when not great. Romance is simply a much harder genre.

Expand full comment
Christopher Redding's avatar

The decline in romance correlates with the feminist movement of the 60’s and 2020’s. This article is touching on a root cause of theatrical films decline outside its competition with streamers- it’s the political-social ideological choke hold put on filmmakers by the ideologues. This is not a reflection of filmmakers or audiences but of ideological gate keepers. There is only so long humans can last without being allowed to laugh or fall in love (and in parallel only so long studios can use M&A’s and institutional external funding to survive). Eventually as a medium for art and entertainment, especially one combined with commerce- the ideological biases of progressivism and 4th wave feminism will need to be remove at least at a main stream level in order to survive. No more blaming the male gender, covid, strikes, Super Bowl weekend, streaming trends and so on- the industry must at last look in the mirror.

Expand full comment
11 more comments...

No posts