Re: Star Wars Anthology (Young Han Solo)
Are studios getting worse at picking compatible directors, are they making changes on the fly or are there just more sites that report this stuff now?
A little of all of the above.
The problem is a systemic one across Hollywood.
Simply put, people are going to the movies less. TV is in a new golden age, and streaming options are undercutting theaters. The studios are reticent to spend money given that most films don't perform well. But, all it takes is one megahit for them to break even for the year. Get more than one, and they can operated in the black for a years ahead.
That fear to spend money on films is offset by the logic that IP or talent with an existing built-in audience somehow guarantees them at least some level of return. Hence most movies being an adaption, remake, sequel, or shared universe tie-in. You can't just blame the studio either because since these are the movies that perform-- these are the movies the masses go to see. So Hollywood doesn't shy away from trying to give people the safe thing they know made money before.
Does it work? No-- obviously. Look at The Mummy. One of the biggest draws in Hollywood plus classic revered IP and it still bombed. But taking a chance on something given still wins out to trying the unknown.
Studio interferences is not new-- Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, even Kubrick and Hitchcock complained about it. So with this fear of losing money looming over them, studio execs are more involved than ever in the production of the big franchise films. Keep in mind too, if there's enough failure, they lose their jobs. If a SW movie actually bombed, Kathleen Kennedy could be replaced by Disney.
The environment in Hollywood is very tense these days. If Marvel or Star Wars bomb\ out a couple times in a row, expect the entire industry to change.