A Great Disturbance In The Force | Fandom In Franchise Hell |Unscripted

I relate to this very much. I'm the guy who got burned out on superhero flicks by the time Avengers 2 came out. When JJ rebooted Star Trek, I said "No thank you". I dropped out of Halloween and Aliens and a some other messy aggravating franchises over the years. I had no interest in the new Ghostbusters, and I am a firm believer in voting with your wallet. All that being said, I started jumping up and down like a giddy school girl when the Beetlejuice 2 teaser dropped. You're right, we're all guilty. The studios are Lucy holding the football, and we are all Charlie Brown, somehow convincing ourselves she isn't going to move it out of the way.

"Tap out. Turn it off. Starve it out." Sounds like we've got a new mantra here, Heath! The new "We're mad as hell and we aren't going to take it anymore"? ;-)

Heath, you consistently have the best and most level headed takes in this space. I am at a point where I am happy that I left the big ip products behind. I’m not sure if I would have delved too far outside of the mainstream bubble if I didn’t let go. I’ve found so many films and shows that bring me so much joy and I know I most likely would not have sought them out otherwise. I’m just burnt out on all of geek culture. I won’t name any names, because I don’t want to bring that to your channel, but I am just so sick of the toxic hate. You can and will find new things to love if you let the past go. If you are upset by the direction of Star Wars or any other IP, then I implore you to let it go and find new films/shows. Every time you think you’ve seen it all you haven’t. Don’t get pulled into the negativity

“Who knows? God willing, we'll all meet again in Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money.”

“Star Wars fatigue“. You nailed it right there. Gone is the anticipation and excitement of getting to see a new Star Wars movie. Not with Disney “barfing” out new Star Wars content every time you turn around.

I don't really believe in "fatigue" unless the quality of the product is poor and doesn't leave to the standard of the original, which is where we are at now. Disney wanted to milk the cow without considering the quality of the product. And even when the consumer told Disney that the product they are putting out is bad quality, they don't care, they think that the consumer is wrong and should consume the product anyways and customers are no starting to say a hard no. which is needed, at some point one hopes they will realize that their product is bad and either switch to something more original or, start doing things right and put product that consumers do actually like.

It's James Bond for me. I saw "Thunderball" as a kid back in 1965, and have seen every book film, read every Bond book, collected, contributed and commented on all things 007 and 007-adjacent ever since. Loved the "Casino Royale" reboot, continue to defend the admittedly flawed "Quantum of Solace" and embraced the divisive "No Time to Die." I could care less about what happens next with the franchise. but it would take too much energy. I recently went back to do a series watch in chronological order and found I wasn't interested in continuing beyond "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", the film that marked the end of the 60s and the end of James Bond. Epic, romantic, with skull-cracking action and fully drawn characters, the film was an elegant elegy to a decade's champion. Everything that followed was redundant, as the producers kept grinding out "more of the same, but silly". By kicking off with "Casino Royale", the Craig era breathed new life into the series - by going back to the original source material. The fact his run has a definitive end helps me view it as a stand-alone series, judged on it's own terms, just as Bond from 1962 - 1969. I see it as a separate experience, and the last one this old super-spy fan needs to consider.

As he got older and could no longer stay awake as late, my grandfather would say of his sportsball games, "They play them whether or not I watch." It's okay—healthy, really—for our priorities to shift over time. Any time I start to get in my feelings about something I loved as a kid changing, I remind myself that I am well outside of that target demographic now. Is it depressing that theaters are slowly dying, promising talent is being subsumed by the franchise machine, and original stories are being sidelined? Well, sure, but I also have 130 years of cinematic history to uncover and relish. And if nothing speaks to me, as you suggested, I'll go create something of my own (music in my case, but it could be anything).

"End of Star Wars = Yoda luv + Yub Nub was the end..."

I have to say I'm in my 50's and grew up with the original star wars and the new Obi-Wan Kenobi blew me away. Love getting to see Darth's power that was missing from the originals. It made me smile and I watch it all the time. Sometimes the new stuff can be good and restore what is buried deep inside us from the early days. My inner kid came out and I have new collectables now from that show. So glad they made it.

I have been saying this for years. The only way to stop bad films is to stop watching them. I totally agree with you. By all means, watch the first Star Wars trilogy, read the comics, play with the toys if you feel like reliving your childhood. But it's time to forget the Star Wars franchise. It's become exhausting and we need something new.

Bottom line is, most new entertainment is trash. As these soulless companies "mine" their IP, I've been mining the vast quantities of forgotten, lost and vintage properties. I've found so much great stuff I didn't know I'd like because I was constantly looking forward to the next thing I was familiar with. My advice is: give something old a shot. You might be surprised that its actually really good.

You took the words out of my mouth about STAR WARS . Loved those last 2 GHOSTBUSTERS though. Mostly I find myself more excited about shiny new remastered Blu Rays of movies and TV shows from last century.

I've realized that I had to let much of my fandom go, I just can't do it anymore. I don't have the energy to watch and hate, but I do have the fortitude to leave them. I don't watch Star Wars, Marvel, Ghostbusters etc. I don't have Disney plus as I just don't like what they do, I've let them go. You are right, I am happier remembering what I loved and not watch the new stuff to feed hate. It's funny how things can go away, for me personally, by not looking at it.

You just summed up how I feel about all this stuff so well. Thanks

Heath man, you’re absolutely right. I swear I’m “this close” to just collecting VHS tapes again. Nothing is original, everything is for profit, devoid of integrity, made for a dime and sold for a dollar. If we want this to stop, we have to start speaking with our wallets. It’s the only language the studios understand, and they’ll only be as lazy, pandering, and creatively bankrupt as we allow them to be. This is how we protect the films we love and their legacy.

I gotta say I'm 100% onboard with letting the things you love die. I don't love IPs. I love good stories with good characters. Once those run out, I bounce. Great video man 10/10 fricheks

I used to be a fan of many franchises (I hate this term). Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Tolkien films… now I am not any more.

I hit the same point a while ago. I gave up on Star Wars after the Obi Wan Kenobi series, haven't seen the most recent Terminator, Exorcist or Ghostbusters & have no intention of seeing them. I make a point to seeing as much as I can in theaters & watch and support as much indie movies as I can, trying to send the message with my money that I want new stuff.

Great video Heath. I really enjoyed your analysis of the franchise film world.