Audiences should get more comedy movies at the box office

Times of discover News: Comedy films were once a thriving genre in Hollywood. But now it seems that what we see in theaters are action films that are trying to create a cinematic universe. What happened to comedy? Political correctness and polarization can dictate what is considered funny.

Also, Hollywood executives want to avoid financial risk by investing in big-budget action films. With the international box office, technological changes, and reliance on pre-existing intellectual property, Hollywood abandoned pure comedy films. The use of streaming services and the decline of physical media have put a stop to theatrical releases for comedies. Movie viewing habits changed drastically from going to the theater to watching a movie at home while waiting to be released.

These technological developments also impact how families spend their money. Consumers' trend toward on-demand and digital copies of films has hurt DVD sales and reliance on comedies. If a mid-budget film, which happens to be a comedy, flops at the box office, the film can make some profit from DVD sales.

Despite being a box office hit, the 2009 comedy The Hangover grossed about $277 million from its domestic theatrical run, but earned nearly double that at the box office with video sales of $243 million. Now that DVDs have become obsolete in the digital age, comedy doesn't have this guaranteed safety net. More recently, comedies have moved toward streaming services to avoid financial risks and go somewhat darker.

Globalization and name recognition have driven Hollywood today. Previously, most genre films were made primarily for domestic audiences. But in the 2010s Hollywood began to rely on the international box office. If you've seen a lot of action movies with disposable CGI armies and third-act skybeams, it's because such films tend to be more successful overseas. A Quartz study in 2014 showed that in China, American comedies account for only 10% of box office spending, while in the United States it's 25%. On the other hand, Hollywood action films took 44% of the Chinese box office and 36% in the US.

Comedy has suffered the most from this globalization, with some genres being promoted for overseas appeal. Some comedies, especially dialogue-based comedies, contain jokes that may not appeal to international audiences. Studios also bear the financial risk of making original, mid-budget comedy films. Hollywood instead relies on films based on pre-existing intellectual property to make more money. Audiences recognize big names like Marvel or Star Wars, so studios invest in well-known franchises to ensure a $1 billion-plus box office success.

The low-risk high-reward payoff for sequels and reboots has now become the norm in a Hollywood that has abandoned diversity in other genres. Comedy hasn't completely disappeared but it has changed. In some cases, the genre has become associated with action films, such as the latest Marvel installments. Deadpool had the humor of a 2000s porn comedy, it was also a superhero movie. Even some animated films can be considered comedies for the whole family. But if you want a pure comedy that will make you laugh despite the offensive content, you're out of luck.

Comedies are no longer made because of the risk of offending others and testing at the box office. But even big-budget films have been failing in recent years, possibly a sign of franchise fatigue and an overabundance of comic book movies. Five years after the billion-dollar success of its predecessor, Joker: Folie a Deux, a $200 million budget was not enough to offset the film's $150-$200 million loss. An 81% drop in the second week and a "D" rank on CinemaScore didn't help either.

The recent cinematic flops of the past three summers have prompted Hollywood to invest in mid-budget films. New, low-budget films may be risky for executives, but recent $200 million flops have done just that. It is clear from the recent box office failures that the audience wants something new.