“Materialist” Dakota Johnson | A24
Dakota Johnson has no refrain as to her thoughts on where the Hollywood film industry is now.
While appearing in the YouTube interview series Hot Ones (see the full episode below), Johnson, who promotes her new A24 romantic comedy materialist, was asked by host Sean Evans about why the film’s Biz was so risk-away. And for Johnson, much of the problem lies in who is calling the shot.
“I think it’s difficult for a committee to make creative decisions, and I think it’s difficult for a creative decision to make by people who actually watch the film or don’t know anything about them,” Johnson said. “And that tends to be a lot of stuff going on.”
She pointed to the industry’s habit of clinging to proven formulas rather than taking creative risks. “When something goes well, the studio wants to continue doing it and remake the same,” she continued. “But humans don’t want that. They want to be fresh, feel new, experience new things, see new things.
Johnson’s comments elicit the debate that has been following Hollywood for many years. It’s the advantage of IP-driven projects, sequels, reboots and spinoffs as the studio continues to rely on franchises and brand recognition.
Johnson has well-known experience with the systems. Earlier this year, she looked back on the challenges of creating Madame Webb and described her behind the scenes’ creative struggles. “It wasn’t my fault,” Johnson said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “There are many creative decisions made by the committee or made by people who don’t have creative bones in their bodies. It’s really hard to make art like that.
Johnson’s comments serve as an important reminder for studio heads and decision makers. Loading money on an existing franchise may feel like a safer bet, but there are still very realistic audiences who are hungry for the original story. Ryan Coogler’s recent crime has, for example, scored an impressive $359 million from a $90 million budget. Taking risk doesn’t mean betting your home on a single project. A healthier mix of mid- and small-scale original films can inject fresher ideas, new voices and much-needed diversity into the market.
“Materialist” Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal | A24
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