As The New Yorker reported in a report on Mattel’s post-“Barbie” plans, it’s not just Mattel that’s leaning heavily into IP. Warner Bros. Discovery is working on a scripted “Harry Potter” TV series, attempting to lean into a brand that’s been tarnished for some by its creator’s transphobia, not to mention a series of lackluster prequel films. Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins told Variety in a profile published Wednesday that the studio’s upcoming animated films would focus on familiar franchises like “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” rather than going after “expensive original animated” films with less certain audiences.
How do media executives repeatedly come to the same dumb conclusion every time a successful movie or show comes out? It happens every single time. A movie with a slightly unconventional premise or genre does unexpectedly well, and the executives naturally want to replicate that success to make more money. But instead of looking at the writing or themes to analyze what made it work, they just hyper-focus on the genre, actors, premise, or aesthetic.
Their second cash-grab movie flops more often than not, but they never learn their lesson despite it being their job to make money for shareholders. These assholes get paid over seven figure salaries just to push ideas any asshole off the street could come up with in five minutes.
Probably because they were the business school types who laughed at the humanities and now they’re media illiterate despite working for media, and are so arrogant, they think they can market research their way into art.
Hit the nail on the head