Over the last several years, movies have been lackluster, both in terms of production values and box office receipts. Big budget flicks like 'Madame Web' or 'The Marvels' fail to do well at the theaters, and some movies have such a blatant political agenda, like Billy Eichner's gay rom com 'Bros' (the one where he told half the country not to see his movie), that it's no wonder people are staying away from the theater. We go to movies to escape reality, not get whacked in the face with a political message.
It's also part economics: going to the movies is not an inexpensive thing, and when disposable income is decreased, families are going to make different decisions (it also doesn't help that most movies hit streaming a couple of weeks after hitting the theaters).
So there's a problem, and it's one that the Associated Press wants to make worse by making movies more political and focused on the 'climate crisis.'
Hollywood movies rarely reflect climate change crisis. These researchers want to change that https://t.co/aoLPVbUjdR
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 28, 2024
Aquaman might not mind if the oceans rise, but moviegoers might.
That’s one of the takeaways from a new study conducted by researchers who set out to determine if today’s Hollywood blockbusters are reflective of the current climate crisis. The vast majority of movies failed the “climate reality check” proposed by the authors, who surveyed 250 movies from 2013 to 2022.
The test is simple — the authors looked to see if a movie presented a story in which climate change exists, and whether a character knows it does. One film that passed the test was the 2017 superhero movie Justice League, in which Jason Momoa’s Aquaman character says, “Hey, I don’t mind if the oceans rise” to Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne.
But most movies fell short — fewer than 10% of the 250 films passed, and climate change was mentioned in two or more scenes of fewer than 4% of the films. That’s out of touch with a moviegoing public that wants “to see their reality reflected on screen,” said Colby College English professor Matthew Schneider-Mayerson, lead researcher on the study.
So, by the researcher's standards, every movie should mention climate change.
Who would want to go see a movie that preaches about that?
Not this writer.
1) There is no "climate crisis."
— JWF (@JammieWF) May 28, 2024
2) Hollywood has a bottomless supply of climate panic movies.
Correct on both points.
Right. Because we're not inundated enough with this.
— Andrea E (@AAC0519) May 28, 2024
You can never escape it.
Rarely. I don’t think that word means what they think it means.
— Gerry (@GerryDales) May 28, 2024
I am also pretty sure this is akin to encouraging Hollywood to drink Drano.
Pretty much. It will make box office receipts worse, ratings worse.
They want propaganda, not entertainment.
The industry that burns more fossil fuels filming a single movie than thousands and thousands of people do in a year should probably not preach about climate change
— Shane McKee (@shaner5000) May 28, 2024
Oh, the irony.
“Hollywood movies rarely reflect the effects of sin. These ministers want to change that”
— Paterfamilias (@PaterFam27) May 28, 2024
It’s their religion.
It really is a religion.
A cult, actually.
"There's not enough propaganda, which should be in everything all the time. These researchers are helping." https://t.co/QIEGi57FhQ
— William M Briggs - Statistician to the Stars! (@FamedCelebrity) May 28, 2024
And then they can write breathless stories about how people are so anxious about climate change it's ruining their relationships.
At some point, people will get this...right?
— The Middle Aged Baby (@MiddleAgedBaby2) May 28, 2024
The days of movies & TV being made to entertain you are over. The days of losing money to vomit messaging are in full swing.
Act accordingly. https://t.co/EUJYAIfHNb pic.twitter.com/skpG7yxIzo
Heh.
Experts: ALL MOVIES MUST BE WOKE AND POLITICAL. https://t.co/dlO0BHUC5y
— El Jefe de Colorado Tweets (@jefe_tweets) May 28, 2024
Pretty much.
They’re upset because there’s not enough green scam propaganda in movies. Seriously. 🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/0YNMBfcE98
— MissMAGA2016 (@MissMaga2016) May 28, 2024
Yes, they are.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member