Contrary to popular belief regarding online discourse, 2025 has been all the more evident that IPs can go “f*** off” because folks don’t genuinely seem any more invested in them than the shareholders that willed them into existence, thinking “it’s another one, time to make a profit. And yes, we did touch on this a few weeks ago, contemplating if Hollywood should throw in the towel for IPs (see attached), but this time, it’s more of a curiosity as to why the old ways are being trampled upon. You might recall a while back, in this writer’s notices, how, as the years progressed, horror stood out as a genre that would always draw interest among audiences, even as a relatively new act, and thus, it warrants more discussion below.
Over the past several weekends, the box office has been anything but a success on all fronts. Yeah, some big blockbusters took their parts in a somewhat muted summer or are in high anticipation for what’s to come in the wintertime to wrap up 2025, but in this year alone, what are the experiments that showcased that life exists outside of IPs?
Back in April, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners nabbed a record-breaking $48 million domestically, the highest-earning weekend in the 2020s for a brand new, original feature. But why so, especially when vampire features and some horror debuts have been tranquil for the past few years in terms of breakout? Perhaps it was sold correctly in IMAX as a form of cinematic escapism, the likes you get when significant kaiju action dominates the screen (a la Godzilla x Kong) or a Marvel movie that utilizes its ingredients, in the correct manner as of late, to promise a summer blockbuster that’s worth remembering (a la The Fantastic Four: First Steps). Sinners had an easy-to-explain premise from its marketing, a respected director in the form of Coogler, and an ensemble cast featuring more recognized names in recent years, such as Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld. It grossed over $278 million domestically and added another masterpiece to Coogler’s arsenal.
Zach Cregger’s thrilling Weapons was another firestorm for numbers, delivering an excellent horror original and earning over $151 million domestically. The simple-to-follow premise, coupled with some fantastic performances and a great tale, made this horror original a hit amongst moviegoers and another cinematic experience to endear oneself towards. And F1 sold itself as a great sports drama to the adult demographics and still rose to the occasion thanks to Brad Pitt’s magnetic performance and a director who helmed the banner flag for Top Gun: Maverick to soar to the skies in 2022.
But, other than these three originals performing this well this year, where else was the demand for other intriguing ideas to surprise folks at the movie theaters? It didn’t clearly happen with Disney’s umpteenth remake (see Snow White) that reminded audiences of a languid desperation from the studio that once helmed high-concept originals from Pixar. Consequently, Elio took the beating when it came to performance, and the remnants of Lightyear blinked to mind. Then you have the sequels/follow-ups folks weren’t remotely inclined to see for various reasons (Tron: Ares, Karate Kid: Legends, M3GAN 2.0, Ballerina, and even Captain America: Brave New World by Marvel’s preposterous standards) because no one asked for them or they didn’t do anything sufficient to warrant their existence or they were mediocre at best.
And the only things left that performed were blockbusters that were already based on renowned/existing source material (Minecraft: The Movie, Superman, Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon, and technically Thunderbolts*) or sequels folks wanted to see (Jurassic World Rebirth, M: I – The Final Reckoning, Final Destination: Bloodlines, The Bad Guys 2, The Conjuring: Last Rites, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle). Playing it safe seems to be Hollywood’s playbook instead of experimenting for other demographics and likes out there.
The numbers don’t lie, and the beats don’t strike. I guess we can only hope for the likes of Mercy, Wuthering Heights, Hoppers, Coyote vs. Acme, How to Rob a Bank, Steven Spielberg’s next untitled film, and The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan to come save the day in 2026 for high-profile originals. Or, maybe it’s time to look beyond Hollywood and look at other countries to deliver the goods when there’s a lack of major offerings from the big studios (Godzilla Minus One and Ne Zha 2 spring to mind!).
