By Chris Chavez
Photo Credit: Warner Bros/DC Studios
More and more movies are struggling just to break even once their theatrical run ends. And a big reason why? Studios are prioritizing profit first, without fully understanding what actually drives that profit in the first place: storytelling. Take Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The film reportedly cost around $300 million to make… and barely made its money back. For a franchise as iconic and beloved as Indiana Jones, that should be a huge red flag. At some point, you have to step back and ask: Why didn’t this connect with audiences?
The rush to push these films out the door often hurts the very reason people show up in the first place, the story. Superhero movies are another clear example. The Flash had a massive budget, around $200 million, with some estimates pushing closer to $300 million once marketing is included, yet it earned only about $271 million worldwide, making it a major box-office disappointment. Now, to be fair, Marvel has earned over $30 billion globally, making it the highest-grossing film franchise of all time. But not every Marvel project has been a commercial or critical success. When output increases and timelines shrink, quality can start to slip, even for the biggest brands in the world.
Then you look at films on the opposite end of the spectrum. Everything Everywhere All at Once cost around $25 million and went on to win multiple Oscars. Get Out had a $4.5 millionbudget and earned $255 million worldwide. The Blair Witch Project cost just $60,000 and made $248 million at the box office. So what did these films do differently? They put story first, and budget second.
Strong writing. Real characters. Emotional payoff. Those elements connect with audiences far more than expensive CGI or franchise recognition alone. Storytelling, no matter the medium, is the foundation of every great project. Yes, filmmaking is a business, and tough decisions have to be made. But studios might see bigger wins if they slowed down and remembered why they got into this industry in the first place: To tell stories that matter.
Chris Chavez is a contributor to the MMM Journal
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