Part 6/14:
COVID delays, re-shoots, and insurance mishaps have compounded costs further. Tom Cruise famously pushed through with risky stunts, but most studios prefer to throw money at CGI and overproduced spectacle, often with little regard for quality or value. The new James Bond game, for example, was criticized for looking dull and uncreative—a stark contrast to the meticulous design of classic Bond titles. Similarly, blockbuster movies now often feature barely interesting costumes (see Superman and Black Panther reboots), with uniform design choices that lack aesthetic distinction, aiming instead for homogeneity and woke signaling.