"If the cinematic landscape had been slowly shifting over the past couple decades, the activity was downright seismic this year. Paramount is on the cusp of swallowing Warner Bros., further consolidating power in an industry that's already an oligopoly. Meanwhile, the powers that be are giddy at how they can use AI to conjure fake actors and make real ones punch each other."
"And yet, there is plenty to celebrate. A bunch of great films and film achievements are up for awards, the 2026 slate is already off to a strong start, and over the course of the past year, some bold originals managed to turn back the clocks and be bona fide discourse-dominating, profit-making hits."
The 2025 movie season concludes amid significant industry transformation. Major consolidation continues with Paramount potentially acquiring Warner Bros., while AI technology threatens to disrupt traditional filmmaking. Despite these challenges, the year demonstrated that original, ambitious films can succeed commercially and critically. Several bold independent projects became profitable hits and dominated cultural discourse. The 2026 slate shows promise with strong early releases. Filmmaker Celine Song, whose Academy Award-nominated screenplay Past Lives and debut film Materialists became major box office successes for A24, exemplifies how thoughtful storytelling about complex themes like markets and human connection resonates with audiences seeking meaningful cinema.
Read at Esquire
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