Part 13/16:

The Broader Industry Malaise: Flops, Financial Woes, and Franchise Fatigue

The bigger picture reveals a Hollywood industry that’s struggling with its cultural missteps. Successful movies like Joker and The Batman prove that dark, well-crafted films can still perform, but recent failures—like The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman—highlight industrywide fatigue. Studios have overinvested in spectacle and IP mashups, often sacrificing storytelling quality. The result? Diminishing box office numbers, declining brand value, and a chaotic strategy lacking coherent vision.