Can you have too much of a good thing? Well the answer, in respect to film, is apparently yes. Audience fatigue is an issue that could mark the beginning of the end for Hollywood and the irony lies in the fact that it was their attempt to make every film a fan favourite that got them into this position.

So what is audience fatigue? As the name so subtly suggests, it’s where viewers grow tired of seeing the same content over and over again. The two most known types of audience fatigue are franchise fatigue, where franchises are drawn out till the point where they lose their appeal, and superhero fatigue, where studios become increasingly dependent on flashy CGI to distract viewers from the lack of substance in their repetitive, predictable plots.

So why is this happening? Well, Hollywood is becoming increasingly reliant on nostalgia bait as a way to ensure views and make a profit, meaning they repeatedly return to franchises or plots they know will make money. Brands like Star Wars and Marvel have been stretched out to the point where viewers are becoming apathetic about new installations and it’s because studios are more focused on breaking box office records than making stories that will resonate with audiences for decades to come. Viewers are being left without a sense of closure as films are purposely being left open ended to leave room for sequels, or series that already had conclusive endings, are having sequels awkwardly added onto them, ruining viewers’ sense of finality.

In 1990, around 1,397 films were shown in cinemas in the US, compared to just 569 in 2024. This significant decline in films being screened creates a crowded market of similar films, resulting in each being rendered more insignificant than the last. The aesthetics of these films are also partly to blame; the infamous Netflix lighting, that aims to reduce harsh shadows but instead creates an atmosphere more akin to a commercial than a film, combined with the too perfect CGI, are making films visually dull and causing them to lose their charm. 

Dialogue is another significant concern. Script writers have been trying to adapt their scripts for the modern audience, meaning designing dialogue for viewers with short attention spans and people who are watching films while simultaneously doomscrolling. As a result, dialogue is being dumbed down and actors are having to state everything that is happening in a scene to make sure audiences can understand the plot while not watching the screen, resulting in nuance being lost.

Audiences aren’t oblivious to what’s happening either. Recently, there have been a lot of complaints about how big studios have been prioritising economic safety over originality, and as a result fewer people are keeping up with new releases. 47% of streaming subscribers have cancelled at least one streaming service since the start of 2025, further highlighting the growing discontent amongst viewers. The decrease in interest towards Hollywood productions, however, is pushing more viewers towards independent films. Indie movies like Anora and Longlegs received high praise for their originality and striking visuals. So if one good thing is going to come out of Hollywood’s recent laziness, it’s that more power will be put in the hands of indie filmmakers who want to tell original stories for the sake of creating something they care about, and not just for profit.