Audiences are sending a clear message: They want movies that look real and are made with effort. The success of 'The Odyssey', 'Project Hail Mary', 'Backrooms', and 'Obsession' proves that audiences appreciate analog filmmaking and directors who go the extra mile to create cinematic worlds that feel grounded and tactile. These films, which heavily relied on practical effects and communicated their old-school moviemaking efforts in their marketing, have been box office hits. In contrast, several disappointing franchise films, such as 'Masters of the Universe', 'Supergirl', 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian', and 'Grogu', were criticized for looking overly artificial. The trailers for these films were notably derided for their use of green screens and other visual effects, which made them look 'fakey'.
The success of these films, particularly 'The Odyssey', can be attributed to the directors' and actors' efforts to film in real-world locations and use practical effects whenever possible. Christopher Nolan, for example, refused to use CG set extensions, even when it would have been tempting, to make 'The Odyssey' feel more populated and sprawling. Similarly, the 'Backrooms' team built extensive physical sets and used practical effects whenever possible, and Curry Barker had to figure out practical ways of pulling off scares in 'Obsession'.
The real lesson here might be that all filmmaking should be difficult if you want to persuade audiences to leave their homes and trek to a theater. The success of these films, particularly 'The Odyssey', suggests that audiences appreciate the effort and authenticity that goes into making a movie. This is especially true in the wake of Disney+'s Star Wars and Marvel TV shows, which have been criticized for their lack of effort and authenticity.
The popularity of nonfranchise movies is also on the rise. Last year, 12 of the top 13 movies at the domestic box office were titles based on existing IP, but this year, five of the top 10 movies at the domestic box office are nonfranchise titles. This suggests that audiences are responding to practicality and authenticity, and are willing to break box office records to see compelling nonfranchise stories from passionate filmmakers. However, it's too soon to say whether this trend will continue, and whether the superhero fatigue virus is mutating into franchise fatigue.
