Hollywood movies no longer make fun of stoners
In the past decade, comedy films have taken on another dimension. Films like Superbad, The Hangover, Pineapple Express, and American Ultra are rarely made; They also don’t bring in as much revenue as the latest genres of movies that are making waves in the industry.
For many lovers of classic stoner comedies, the absence of these genres in the films is surprising. Ten years ago no one would have thought that stoner comedies would become rarities in the entertainment industry, because these genres had to be expected in the past. Back when they were in vogue, stoner comedies brought huge returns for investors. The Hangover had a budget of less than $ 100 million, and when it was released it was grossing over $ 580 million in ticket sales worldwide. One wonders why Hollywood filmmakers stopped making stoner comedies.
The stoner comedy boom
In the late 1990s and 2000s, the impact of the popular Stones comedy on the entertainment industry cannot be overestimated. The film Cheech and Chong initiated the trend towards major success films from the stoner comedy genre. In terms of casting and plot, the films all have similar backgrounds. The films always revolve around coming-of-age settings, capers or odyssees.
The success of these films fueled the widespread adoption of marijuana in the United States of America. These films were made so that cannabis advocates and laws could run. The stoner comedies gave a decisive boost to cannabis culture.
Reasons Hollywood Don’t Do Stoner Comedies
Today, Hollywood is made up of different franchises and different genres. Medical series animations, documentaries, and more are generated millions of dollars annually. Here are some of the reasons stoner comedies have been sidelined.
Superhero films have taken their place
In 2008, Marvel Cinematic Universe released Iron Man, the first franchise of their superhero movie collections. With this film began the superhero craze that replaced the era of stoner comedies.
With a budget of just $ 141 million, Iron Man generated over $ 585 million from global ticket sales. Subsequent films were all prominent blockbusters. One of the most watched films of the last decade comes from the MCU franchise Avengers: Infinity Wars.
Film lovers around the world have their appetite for superhero films with every new release.
As it stands, new stories and characters will have a place in Hollywood and on big screens around the world in the years to come. There is a high likelihood that stoner comedies will be sidelined forever because superhero films instill a wide range of humor to delight casual moviegoers. Unless something spectacular is happening regarding the cannabis industry, don’t expect a stoner comedy anytime soon.
Big studios aren’t interested in stoner comedies
Authors find it difficult to come up with ideas at major studios. Most of these studios pick trending topics and invest time and resources to create something unique. Stoner comedies with the usual storylines have a lower chance of being selected for production.
Fortunately, streaming platforms like Hulu and Netflix are alternatives for writers looking for the traction they need for their movie scripts for production. While it is easy to capture the interest of these streaming platforms, it is not easy to ensure that subscribers don’t scroll past these movies.
There is an unpopular opinion that current movie fans are not as inclined to giggle comedy films as fans of the early 2000s and late 90s were.
The question for any stoner comedy fan is who Seth Rogan and Jonah Hill will be of this generation. This becomes difficult to know until a major studio finally turns its attention to stoner comedies again.
The times are different
At the height of the stoner comedy genre, the political environment was highly charged. This contributed to the genre’s increased popularity and ability to make people laugh.
With the cannabis legislation here and there, the realms have become more sensible and calmer. Writing content for stoner comedies is a tedious task these days as the writers have yet to adapt to current circumstances.
As expected, more attention has been paid to other genres such as romance, action, tragedy, and horror.
Popular stoner comedies
Dozens of films in the genre have been released when it made waves. While everyone is waiting for the next cult classic, check out the old stoner comedy films that have hit the bulls in the last decade or earlier.
Some of the notable stoner comedy works you might want to check out include;
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Half Baked (1998) – This film featured Jim Breuer, Harland Williams, Dave Chapelle and Guillermo Diaz. The film has a classic cult background and tells how three friends went to jail and broke another mutual friend.
Other stoner comedies to watch out for, too, include This is the end, Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Grandma’s Boy and Cheech, and Chongs Up in Smoke.
last words
The best thing you can do to relive the era of stoner comedy is getting your hands on old movies and classics. Some streaming platforms even offer these classics on their pages. Or, you can go the old fashioned way by looking for DVDs or CDs to watch on your old digital players. Don’t let the hope that these stoner comedies will one day be revisited by major studios.
Until then, grab some popcorn and stream the classics you can get your hands on. Enjoy!
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