Blockbusters vs Belly Laughs: Has Big-Screen Humour Been Sacrificed For Spectacle?

COMEDY, once a cornerstone of Hollywood, has seen its presence dwindle on the big screen. This decline stems from a confluence of factors, with the dominance of intellectual property (IP) franchises and the globalisation of the film industry playing a significant role.

The Reign of Franchises

Hollywood has become fixated on established properties. Superhero universes, space operas, and action franchises rule the multiplex. These films offer studios a built-in fan base and a sense of security. Audiences, conditioned by a steady stream of sequels and reboots, become comfortable with familiar narratives. 

However, this overreliance on IP has a downside. The summer of 2023, with underwhelming reception for sequels like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Fast X, exemplifies a potential audience fatigue. Studios’ cynical focus on maximising profits through endless sequels and CGI-heavy spectacles has eroded moviegoers’ trust. Comedy, with its inherent difficulty in fitting neatly into franchises, gets sidelined. 

The Globalization Gamble

The global box office is now a crucial profit driver for Hollywood. To justify the ever-increasing film production costs, movies must resonate internationally. Unfortunately, comedy often struggles to translate across cultures due to its reliance on humour that’s specific to a particular region or society. 

Jokes referencing local customs or pop-culture figures often lose their punchline abroad. This makes studios hesitant to invest heavily in big-budget comedies with limited international appeal. A $100 million comedy with a narrow overseas market becomes a risky proposition.

The Strangled Starscape

The decline in big-budget comedies also hinders the development of the next generation of comedic stars. Without a steady stream of high-profile, commercially successful comedies, studios shy away from casting fresh faces in lead roles. This creates a vicious cycle – fewer comedies means fewer breakout comedic leads, which in turn makes studios even more wary of investing in comedic projects. 

Beyond the Blockbusters Where is Comedy Now?

While the big screen struggles with comedy, the genre isn’t truly dead. Streaming services have become a haven for comedic content. Stand-up specials, serialised comedies, and quirky indie comedies find a home on these platforms. Additionally, some studios have found success with smaller-scale comedies with broader appeal. 

Think Crazy Rich Asians or Knives Out – films with original stories that incorporate humour without relying heavily on established franchises. These films demonstrate that audiences still crave laughter, even if they’re not flocking to theatres for it.

A Possible Path to Revival

The future of big-screen comedy hinges on a multi-pronged approach. Studios need to take calculated risks on original comedic concepts with international appeal. This doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning familiar elements altogether. A well-crafted story with a unique comedic voice can still incorporate recognizable tropes or settings, as long as the humour itself transcends cultural boundaries. 

Writers and directors must craft narratives that resonate globally while maintaining a unique comedic voice. Perhaps a return to smaller-budget, character-driven comedies, like those that thrived in the past, could rekindle audience interest. These films often focused on universal themes like relationships, family dynamics, or social anxieties, with humour woven into the fabric of the story. 

By prioritising strong characters and clever writing over spectacle and special effects, these films could remind audiences why they fell in love with big-screen comedy in the first place.

Ultimately, a healthy film industry requires a balance. While big-budget franchises drive box office numbers, a robust comedy scene injects humour and originality into the cinematic landscape. 

Finding the right balance between the familiar and the fresh, the global and the specific, could be the key to bringing laughter back to the big screen. In this way, studios can cater to the audience’s desire for both comfort and surprise, ensuring a future where popcorn isn’t the only thing making moviegoers chuckle.