The recent trend in progressively “woke” films that began with all-female Ghostbusters continues — and audiences are just not embracing it.
This weekend’s movie releases featured a line-up of over the top “woke” films; movies that likely delighted a small base and their creators, but paying audiences declined to view. This week alone, two formerly massive franchises had huge flops, while two other entries that were adored by progressive-leaning critics failed to find an audience at all.
Let’s take a look at the biggest losers in film right now.
Men in Black: International
This successful franchise spanned over two decades, but it took just one weak leading man and an over the top SJW worldview to bring it crashing to Earth. One main character is a bumbling pathetic white male, who while he holds a lofty position, can’t seem to manage the basic tasks of daily life, until some woke characters sweep in and save him. Early reporting says this addition to the franchise opened with just $25 million – about half of the original, which launched without the support of a famous cast or franchise recognition.
Shaft
Of all the flops, this one is the most puzzling. Shaft was a truly woke film years before the term was even invented. Despite this, and the addition of leading man and instantly recognizable Samuel L. Jackson, the film launched at just $8 million – very bad news for the franchise and all involved.
The problem? Audiences familiar with the decade’s old original were expecting a gritty, action filled adventure – but instead got a watered down, politically correct version of a failing network sitcom. Audiences fled from the film, thanks to the trailers, which accurately portrayed the film’s new version of a weakened, whining Richard Roundtree, instead of the dynamic original.
Late Night
This ode to women of color, brought to you by Mindy Kaling, bombed, coming in at just $4.5 million on opening week. The main problem with this film is that it is not really a movie – it is an almost two hour lecture on social justice.
Rocketman
Poised to (hopefully) see the same success as last year’s mega-hit Bohemian Rhapsody, this film about Elton John grossed only $65 million, despite being out for several weeks. The primary issue seems to be that Bohemian Rhapsody was about the music, the talent and the legend Freddie Mercury (who on a side note, happened to be bisexual). Rocketman, however, is about a gay man pursuing men, his overall homosexuality and rampant drug use, with the occasional song thrown in. Audiences failed to connect with this R-rated ode to homosexuality and the film is a flop.
Dark Phoenix
This feminist entry into the X-Men franchise plummeted 77 percent after its opening weekend, earning just $50 million in 10 days. That income won’t even make back the money spent on marketing – let alone the production of the film itself. A focus on feminism, combined with awful writing and an over the top leftist agenda spelled doom for the usually popular franchise this time around.
As long as filmmakers produce movies designed to showcase how woke they are, or to lecture to audiences about how woke they should be, movies like these will continue to crash and burn. Even long successful, beloved franchises can’t hold up to the rejection of general audiences and the moviegoing public, who want to be entertained, not lectured to.
