Overview
- Christopher Nolan made the comments while promoting his new film The Odyssey and in recent interviews said the idea that movies are dying has recurred for decades.
- Two low‑budget horror hits, Backrooms and Obsession, have drawn large Gen Z audiences and reported global grosses near $360 million and $400 million respectively.
- Both films were made by directors in their 20s who built followings online and succeeded without large studio budgets, a pattern Nolan and other filmmakers say shows audience demand for fresh voices.
- Steven Spielberg publicly praised the filmmakers behind those hits and noted Obsession was made for under $1 million, highlighting how small budgets can produce big theatrical returns.
- Industry watchers say The Odyssey’s upcoming release and current studio rollout choices will be watched as a test of whether studios will change how they fund, market, and release non‑formulaic theatrical films