Cult Corner: Summer breather

The movie industry is quieter this summer. It’s not for lack of releases; it’s lack of hype. A summer with a single Marvel movie? And an R-rated one, at that?

Summer is typically when studios drop tentpole films week after week, a cinematic Black Friday where blockbusters are rolled out to significant fanfare, in hopes they make enough to cover not just their own production costs, but those of less profitable films as well. This trend began in 1975 with “Jaws” and has continued since, with the Christmas holiday being the other major blockbuster release window.

Why so quiet this summer? It’s because of, in part, last year’s writers’ and actors’ strikes, which stopped production for months on nearly all TV and movies. It’s also, in part, a result of clearly evident Marvel fatigue. Low box office receipts and poor reviews for the last few Marvel outings seem to have shown Disney execs that we’d enjoy a break. I, for one, am enjoying it immensely, though I still plan to see “Deadpool and Wolverine,” the summer’s only Marvel film, on the big screen.

And here we are at the mid-budget movie summer of 2024. Before studios doubled and tripled down on major franchises like “Harry Potter,” “Lord of the Rings” and countless superheroes, mid-budget films were their bread-and-butter. Instead of banking on two or three massive hits, studios made films that were financially far less risky, and perhaps less flashy, but that still attracted big stars and fresh ideas. These weren’t films made with microscopic budgets that became surprise hits, such as “The Blair Witch Project,” “Napoleon Dynamite” or “Clerks,” but movies produced within the studio system with moderate to well-known names attached. They weren’t necessarily touted as having massive, Spielberg-like appeal or as Oscar bait, but they sounded interesting, caught your eye and often turned out to be more than you expected.

A quick internet search for “mid-budget movies” brings up a list of articles from the past decade bemoaning the loss of mid-budget fare. Many movies that have become cultural touchstones were made for a modest budget and, as the think pieces in the aforementioned search are quick to point out, wouldn’t get made today. Mid-budget films are where new takes on genre films can flourish, rather than having any potentially risky edges shaved off by studio execs, afraid to scare away audiences with something they haven’t seen before.

Mid-budget movies often gain popularity from word of mouth, as opposed to banking on massive opening weekend receipts. In the first half of this year, we’re seeing films stick around in theaters longer, making it a perfect time for mid-budget films to gain the positive reputation that gets audiences into the theater, rather than waiting a few months for the movies to appear on streaming services. With no sign of post-pandemic inflation relief in sight, audiences are likely more risk-averse, so if we can feel confident in seeing a film with a good reputation, as opposed to opening weekend fanfare, we’ll likely show up.

Don’t worry: Blockbusters will come roaring back next year. But hopefully the “quieter” rest of the year shows studios there’s a place for slightly risky (in their eyes, anyway) films. Besides, it just makes good business sense, right? Why put all your eggs in one wizard- or superhero-shaped basket when you can give audiences many tastes of something they might enjoy?

If anything, it’s nice for audiences to catch a breather and for studios to try something other than the blockbuster model for a time. It’s been 49 years since “Jaws” was released and 16 years since “Iron Man” and “The Dark Knight” catalyzed the superhero wave. Blockbusters aren’t going away, nor should we want them to. The breathing room and cinematic variety, however, are welcome.

Get out there one hot afternoon and go see a movie.

Thompson, VHS.D, holds a doctorate of cult media in pop culture from University of Maine at Castle Rock. He delivers lectures on movies and other pop culture topics under the moniker Professor VHS. He’s on Instagram as @professorvhs; find more of his work at professorvhs.substack.com.