Hollywood learned a valuable lesson this summer.
Or, at least, the movie industry should have learned one.
Original films by a young crop of YouTube-weaned directors are the future. The twin horror sensations "Backrooms" and "Obsession," both directed by 20-something wunderkinds, made oodles of cash on microscopic budgets.
Meanwhile, tired IPs like "Supergirl," "The Mandalorian and Grogu" and "Moana" are seriously under-performing. "Supergirl" and "Moana" are on track to lose more than $100 million for their respective studios. "The Mandalorian" TV show extension puts the "Star Wars" future in doubt, at least as a dominant force in the industry.
So why did the industry just greenlight not one but two completely unnecessary reboots?
Desperation? Panic? Habit?
First up? "Free Willy." The 1993 charmer followed a wayward whale and his human protector. The film wasn't a blockbuster, but it entertained young and old and sparked both two sequels and an animated series. Plus, it delivered well north of $100 million on a $20 million budget.
That's the kind of math Hollywood craves.
So, let's do it all over again. We're sure the film's eco-message will be watered down this time, no? And there's nothing to fear about the word, "reimagining" being used in the announcement, right?
Right?
The second reboot feels even sadder. In 2010, the underrated character actor Jackie Earle Haley took over for Robert Englund in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" reboot. Solid choice, full stop. Except the film angered the saga's fan base even though it proved commercially successful. The tone and approach were all wrong, and the obvious delineation between dreams and reality sapped any potential scares from the story.
Plus, a legal nightmare prevented a second stab at Freddy Krueger. Sorry!
So, let's try it again! A new "NIghtmare" is coming our way, and the excuse is that the horror genre has never been hotter. That's not wrong, but the "Obsession"/"Backrooms" story suggests audiences want scares to call their own more than the stuff their parents shrieked over 40-odd years ago.
Turns out original Freddy actor Robert Englund might just be irreplaceable. Heck, the latest headlines are often scarier than anything ol' Freddy and his steely fingers could summon.
It's Hollywood being Hollywood, and the industry already convinced one of its newest talents to go along for the ride. Curry Barker, whose "Obsession" has made $426 million worldwide to date, has been charged with bringing the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" saga back from the grave.
If anyone can find something fresh to do with Leatherface and friends, it's Barker. And he'll be paid handsomely for the privilege. But do today's horror audiences care about a franchise dating back more than 50 years?
Maybe the minds behind the new "Nightmare" are scouring YouTube channels to find the next Gen Z weaned on all things Freddy Krueger.
