| Trend | Example | |-------|---------| | AI-assisted production | Disney’s internal AI for VFX; Netflix using AI for script coverage | | Video game adaptations | Fallout, The Last of Us, Gran Turismo, Mario – all hits | | Mid-budget theatrical revival | Anyone But You, The Iron Claw – successful under $50M | | Non-English language global hits | Squid Game, Society of the Snow, Godzilla Minus One | | Hybrid release strategies | Universal’s theatrical + PVOD window shortening to 17 days |

Universal is the studio of the spectacle. They have historically cornered the market on two seemingly opposite genres: high-octane action and monster horror.

The nature of the production itself has changed under these studios. We have moved from the "Star-Driven Vehicle" (e.g., Tom Cruise movies) to the "Franchise Model" (e.g., the MCU), and now into the "IP Era."

In the IP Era, the "idea" is the star. A studio like Nintendo (entering the film space with The Super Mario Bros. Movie) or Hasbro (with Transformers) can generate billions because the audience has a pre-existing relationship with the product.