What 'One Battle After Another' says about original films

Their box office success partly answers the question: What do audiences want?

- By Samantha Masunaga

David A. Gross, who writes the FranchiseRe industry newsletter.

“There are interesting filmmakers all over the world who are telling interesting stories, and it’s not going to stop,” he said.

To be sure, not all originals have done well this year — consider Disney and Pixar’s animated “Elio” and Warner Bros.’ “Mickey 17,” which misfired at the box office.

There is a perennial discussion in Hollywood about what audiences want. Is it the sequels and reboots with which audiences are familiar, or original films that will pull them from their couches? In reality, both are essential to a balanced film slate.