The decline of Hollywood comedies shows how much cinema has changed. People once paid to laugh. Comedies didn’t need a superhero, a franchise, or a multiverse — just a good script and funny actors. Today, nearly every blockbuster has jokes, but few are actual comedies. Humor has become background noise, not the main attraction.
Studios began prioritizing intellectual property before streaming took over. They found it cheaper to wrap jokes around familiar brands than invest in original comedy scripts. It’s easier to make a Marvel movie seem funny than to create something like Bridesmaids. Actors who once led comedies have become characters in superhero suits. Paul Rudd, Ryan Reynolds, and Chris Pratt now exist more as franchises than personalities. Even Jack Black has been overshadowed by voice roles and cameos.
Streaming didn’t fix the issue. While TV comedies explore bold ideas, they rarely focus on laughs alone. Streaming movies feel safer and flatter. Most protect big-name stars from real risk, focusing on metrics like “viewing hours” instead of audience reactions. Why would Jerry Seinfeld put Unfrosted in theaters and risk silence, when Netflix lets him imagine success across millions of screens?
A director like Preston Sturges, who made Sullivan’s Travels to show how joy connects people, would feel disheartened. He believed laughter was vital. Today, comedies like Friendship or Materialists target cultural elites rather than general audiences. Even Girls Trip didn’t trigger a trend of similar films. Hits like One of Them Days got sequels but didn’t lead to lasting changes. Laughter has become a niche, not a shared experience.
Movie theaters still offer one of the cheapest ways for people to experience something together. Yet, most films today don’t aim for collective joy. Laughing at a TikTok alone can’t replace a packed cinema sharing a single punchline.
Ironically, hope might lie in the return of The Naked Gun. This spoof, starring Liam Neeson and directed by a member of The Lonely Island, could test if big-screen comedy still has power. Unlike Barbie or Freaky Friday, it doesn’t depend on nostalgia or politics. It aims purely to entertain. It might even unite people across political lines — from those with Blue Lives Matter flags to those with ACAB bios.
This reboot may be the first post-Trump-era movie that bridges America’s cultural divide through comedy. It features Liam Neeson, a favorite among conservative audiences, and Pamela Anderson, a nostalgia icon. Unlike many modern releases, The Naked Gun won’t be accused of being “woke.” It might appeal to a crowd tired of arguments and just looking to laugh.
If the film succeeds, it could remind Hollywood of comedy’s potential. A movie doesn’t need to solve the nation’s problems — just give people a reason to laugh together. And if it flops? Maybe we really are too far gone.
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