The Godfather, The Wizard of Oz, Casino Royale, Harry Potter, The Wolf of Wall Street, Jurassic Park, Jaws, The Shining, American Psycho, The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, The Avengers. What do all these cinematic successes have in common?
They all came from some other form of storytelling; they have existed beyond the โmagicโ of the silver screen. Whether through short stories, novels or comic books, countless iconic characters have won the hearts of fans everywhere often long before their cinematic debuts.
But why do some of the most appreciated movies often come from stories that have already been told? Are moviemakers facing a lack of creativity? Is cinematic originality dying?
Marketability is an important factor. It is undoubtedly easier to promote a new movie with an old following than marketing an unrecognized project that could very well be a hit or miss. After all, movies are expensive, and people would rather not put their hard-earned money on the line for an unfamiliar story that can quite possibly be a twelve-dollar disappointment.
Familiarity equals comfort and comfort equals fandom.
Since movies are more condensed, movie directors seek engaging worlds and complex characters that viewers can already appreciate before buying their ticket; they want characters that fans can easily commit to.
The industry may be telling old stories, but they are telling them in ways they have never been told before.
Cinema is carrying classic tales to new heights, exploring familiar worlds through new eyes, rocketing our imaginations in ways that would never be possible if not for the trust of characters and ideas that have already been long established.
Technological advancements have evolved to enhance the visual experience in ways that jump far beyond original forms of storytelling. Great minds have thought up ways to further complicate iconic and well-known characters.
The industry is not facing a death of originality, but a birth of innovation.
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