So I just did a small research on films and shows which have been made in certain financial recession times (e.g. 2008, covid etc).

It does appear:

“During financial recessions, entertainment industries often lean on hype-driven, financially safe projects — which can lead to a temporary dip in creative risk-taking — though these periods can also spark fresh innovation under constraints.”

There’s this pattern I’ve been thinking about lately – one that seems to repeat every time the economy tanks: when there’s a financial recession, Hollywood tends to lean into hype-driven film or TV projects, often at the cost of creativity.

And you know what? It’s not just in my head. There’s some truth to this idea.

Let’s unpack it. Looking at what happened during the 2008 crash and the 2020 pandemic-era recession, and how studios, streamers, and storytellers responded.

Here’s the truth: movies are expensive.
Big studios don’t just throw $150 million around unless they’re confident it’ll come back – with profit.

When the economy crashes – like it did in 2008 and again in 2020. Studios get nervous. They pull back on bold ideas and original scripts. Instead, they start betting on what they know works: franchises, reboots, safe IPs, built-in fanbases. 

It’s less about art now, but more about survival.

The 2008 financial crisis hit hard. Job losses. Foreclosures. Markets melting down.

Meanwhile in Hollywood

• Marvel launched the MCU with Iron Man (2008). Not a gamble – a calculated play.
  
• The Dark Knight (2008) exploded – dark, grounded, gripping, and still superhero-safe.
  
• Twilight (2008) turned a teen vampire book into a global money machine.
  
• Transformers sequels kept rolling in, louder each time.
  

Studios were playing it super safe with familiar faces and proven formulas.

But while the mainstream chased hype, something else was happening.

Recessions don’t stop artists. They just change their conditions.

With studios locked down, independent filmmakers got scrappy. They couldn’t compete with big explosions or CGI battles, so they focused on intimacy, story, and emotion.

Remember these?

• Slumdog Millionaire (2008) – low budget, international setting, Oscar sweep.
  
• The Wrestler (2008) – gritty, personal, quietly powerful.
  
• Hunger (2008) – raw, political, uncompromising debut from Steve McQueen.
  

These weren’t hype movies. They were real, risky, and unforgettable.

Then 2020. Lockdowns. Cinemas closed. Shoots delayed. Everyone is glued to streaming.

Studios scrambled. Theaters were out. Streaming was in. And the race began – not for quality, but for content.

• Netflix pumped out bingeable stuff: The Witcher, Emily in Paris, Extraction.
  
• Disney+ launched MCU series like WandaVision and Loki – keeping fans engaged, not necessarily wowed.
  
• HBO Max? Releasing blockbusters straight to streaming. Risky, but still relying on known IP.
  

Suddenly, everyone was trying to keep their eyeballs entertained – fast and familiar.

By 2022, theaters came back. But studios weren’t about to risk their returns.

Instead, they unleashed a nostalgia tidal wave:

• Top Gun: Maverick (2022) – dad cinema done perfectly.
  
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) – pure fan service, and people ate it up.
  
• Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) – 13 years later, still a spectacle.
  

It was less “let’s push the boundaries” and more “let’s give people comfort food in IMAX.”

Here’s the thing: creativity doesn’t die in a recession – it just goes under.

I think while Hollywood played it safe, these projects broke through:

• Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) – weird, messy, brilliant. A multiverse of meaning.
  
• The Bear (2022) – a chaotic kitchen drama with soul and anxiety in equal measure.
  
• Aftersun (2022) – minimal, heartbreaking, unforgettable.
  
• Squid Game (2021) – Korean class commentary turned global hit.
  

These weren’t billion-dollar bets. They were smart, sharp, and in many cases, unexpected. That’s where creativity thrives – in the cracks of a crumbling system.
Some blockbusters still delivered artistry alongside hype:

• Dune (2021, 2024) – sprawling, strange, serious sci-fi.
  
• Barbie (2023) – plastic dolls, existential dread, and a dance number? Why not.
  
• Oppenheimer (2023) – historical epic that became a cultural moment.
  

These films proved that you can chase big money and still say something real.

So, are we wrong to say that recessions lead to hype over heart?

Not at all.
Recessions do push the mainstream toward safe, marketable projects.
But creativity doesn’t vanish. It adapts.

It might not be in the summer blockbuster lineup, but it’s in the margins:

• In the indie theater
  
• In your streaming queue at 2AM
  
• In subtitles from across the globe
  

When times are tough, audiences want comfort – and studios give it to them.
But in the background, somewhere quieter, someone’s making something that really matters.

And that’s where the future of storytelling is born.

This post is sponsored massively by Chat GPT lol – DO NOT TAKE REFERENCES.