What Happened to the Comedy Movie Genre?

[Wes Mantooth]

Before anyone chimes in that I'm old, or have gotten older I realize that. But there's much more to do this than me outgrowing or aging out of humor in 2021.

The movie industry has entirely changed. From what I understand studios mainly produce blockbusters or lower budget films. Where comedies used to fall in budget (ex: 40 mil) are now much less in demand. Obviously indie films are as popular as ever, and streaming services are producing their own content as well.

Just take a look at these names and go check their IMDB pages for the last comedy they made that you personally would consider good...

Will Ferrell
Vince Vaughn
Owen Wilson
Ben Stiller
Mike Meyers
Jonah Hill
Seth Rogan
James Franco
Steve Carrell
Jack Black
Ed Helms
Jason Segal
Paul Rudd

These are just some names off the top of my head. You'll find they all either left the genre completely behind, or they've done nothing of great note in the genre for probably at least 5 years. Even the ones that still do comedic roles either have transitioned into more serious work in between, and/or their comedy output is a shell of it's former self.

Now some might say that these guys aged out of the genre. Ok, I suppose that's fair. But I do think it's strange how many of them all seemed to age out if it at the same time.

These are the guys I would consider to be the bankable stars to headline a comedy movie in the last 20 years. So my question is, who has replaced them? Who are some of the newer heavyweights in comedy films? Are there any?

I'll stop rambling here shortly. I think I've already answered my own question (studios won't pay to produce comedies any more, and there are no new "heavyweights" in comedy films) but I just think this is such a bummer.

I'm sure like many of you I grew up with great movies in this genre. Renting and/or watching comedy movies was a routine occurence in my life for a long, long time. From Animal House, to Caddy Shack, to Vacation, to Revenge of the Nerds, to Waynes World, Tommy Boy, Happy Gilmore, Old, School, Step Brothers.... Hell, I even gobbled up movies like The Goods and She's Out of Your League.

I love comedy movies. I miss them. Bring them back please.

[jfkbengals]

Hollywood realized comedic perfection was achieved with the release of Joe Dirt, and therefore there was no reason to try anymore?

[BengalsRocker]

It's transitioned into more women comedians.

Melissa McCarthy and such.

I don't find the movies very good.

It has nothing to do with women being in them either.

They're just not written very well.

[Wes Mantooth]

(04-27-2021, 09:45 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Hollywood realized comedic perfection was achieved with the release of Joe Dirt, and therefore there was no reason to try anymore?

One of my favorites. 

-Joe Dirt - "It's pronounced Dir'te"

Dennis Miller character - "Don't try to church it up."

[Murdock2420]

(04-27-2021, 09:02 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Before anyone chimes in that I'm old, or have gotten older I realize that.  But there's much more to do this than me outgrowing or aging out of humor in 2021.  

The movie industry has entirely changed.  From what I understand studios mainly produce blockbusters or lower budget films.  Where comedies used to fall in budget (ex: 40 mil) are now much less in demand.  Obviously indie films are as popular as ever, and streaming services are producing their own content as well.

Just take a look at these names and go check their IMDB pages for the last comedy they made that you personally would consider good...

Will Ferrell
Vince Vaughn
Owen Wilson
Ben Stiller
Mike Meyers
Jonah Hill
Seth Rogan
James Franco
Steve Carrell
Jack Black
Ed Helms
Jason Segal
Paul Rudd

These are just some names off the top of my head.  You'll find they all either left the genre completely behind, or they've done nothing of great note in the genre for probably at least 5 years.  Even the ones that still do comedic roles either have transitioned into more serious work in between, and/or their comedy output is a shell of it's former self.

Now some might say that these guys aged out of the genre.  Ok, I suppose that's fair.  But I do think it's strange how many of them all seemed to age out if it at the same time.

These are the guys I would consider to be the bankable stars to headline a comedy movie in the last 20 years.  So my question is, who has replaced them?  Who are some of the newer heavyweights in comedy films?  Are there any?

I'll stop rambling here shortly.  I think I've already answered my own question (studios won't pay to produce comedies any more, and there are no new "heavyweights" in comedy films) but I just think this is such a bummer.

I'm sure like many of you I grew up with great movies in this genre.  Renting and/or watching comedy movies was a routine occurence in my life for a long, long time.  From Animal House, to Caddy Shack, to Vacation, to Revenge of the Nerds, to Waynes World, Tommy Boy, Happy Gilmore, Old, School, Step Brothers....  Hell, I even gobbled up movies like The Goods and She's Out of Your League.

I love comedy movies.  I miss them.  Bring them back please.

So I have a couple thoughts on why this trend is happening.

I may be totally wrong but it is just a guess.

1) Covid in the past two years has made everything suck, so it is hard to judge the most recent years but prior to that....

2) The comedy genre is getting hammered down due to the politically correct movement. Not trying to get political but literally a ton of my favorite movies like Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds, Blazing Saddles, etc... you just couldn't make in today's world. It would get shut down in a split second for being insensitive, not inclusive enough, etc.

3) The diversity of platforms. Netflix, Hulu, Prime Movies, Disney, etc. There are some hidden gems out there amongst these streaming platforms, but they aren't getting the mainstream push like you would see when everything was in the theater years ago. An example is movie 43 on Netflix, it is like a modern day Kentucky Fried Movie.

Finally, is that the landscape shifted. The superhero movies are king right now, and that is where the money is at. Take Deadpool for example, it is a superhero movie but at the same time I would call it a comedy as it makes me laugh still when I watch it.

Anyways, those would be my sort of thoughts on what has happened to the comedy world. 

[MileHighGrowler]

(04-27-2021, 10:29 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: So I have a couple thoughts on why this trend is happening.

I may be totally wrong but it is just a guess.

1) Covid in the past two years has made everything suck, so it is hard to judge the most recent years but prior to that....

2) The comedy genre is getting hammered down due to the politically correct movement. Not trying to get political but literally a ton of my favorite movies like Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds, Blazing Saddles, etc... you just couldn't make in today's world. It would get shut down in a split second for being insensitive, not inclusive enough, etc.

3) The diversity of platforms. Netflix, Hulu, Prime Movies, Disney, etc. There are some hidden gems out there amongst these streaming platforms, but they aren't getting the mainstream push like you would see when everything was in the theater years ago. An example is movie 43 on Netflix, it is like a modern day Kentucky Fried Movie.

Finally, is that the landscape shifted. The superhero movies are king right now, and that is where the money is at. Take Deadpool for example, it is a superhero movie but at the same time I would call it a comedy as it makes me laugh still when I watch it.

Anyways, those would be my sort of thoughts on what has happened to the comedy world. 

I'd say this is a pretty good take.  Comedy has taken a beating for probably the last 15 years in all honesty.  It just doesn't generate the revenue the studios want to see.  And a lot of the actors who were doing those movies either tired of them to some extent or just wanted to try something different.  In an age where awards mean so much and actors seem to hate being typecast now more than ever, there is just less appeal from audiences, studios and actors to make it work.  

I'd also say that because the window of appeal is so much smaller, the point about streaming services carries weight as well.  Most of the sitcoms I've seen on Netflix for example are awful.  The combo of action, comedy and drama is where people are putting their attention from a production standpoint.  Whether or not you like Marvel movies, the fact remains that a movie like Guardians of the Galaxy checks all the boxes; funny, action-packed, a little introspective, great soundtrack, etc.  Those actors feel like they're encompassing so much more than Will Farrell forever playing the man-child.  

[Murdock2420]

(04-27-2021, 11:33 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I'd say this is a pretty good take.  Comedy has taken a beating for probably the last 15 years in all honesty.  It just doesn't generate the revenue the studios want to see.  And a lot of the actors who were doing those movies either tired of them to some extent or just wanted to try something different.  In an age where awards mean so much and actors seem to hate being typecast now more than ever, there is just less appeal from audiences, studios and actors to make it work.  

I'd also say that because the window of appeal is so much smaller, the point about streaming services carries weight as well.  Most of the sitcoms I've seen on Netflix for example are awful.  The combo of action, comedy and drama is where people are putting their attention from a production standpoint.  Whether or not you like Marvel movies, the fact remains that a movie like Guardians of the Galaxy checks all the boxes; funny, action-packed, a little introspective, great soundtrack, etc.  Those actors feel like they're encompassing so much more than Will Farrell forever playing the man-child.  

I agree a lot of the sitcoms on Netflix aren't great but I'll give credit to the Crew with Kevin James. It was decent.

[XenoMorph]

not allowed to be funny anymore it offends people

[MileHighGrowler]

(04-27-2021, 11:48 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: I agree a lot of the sitcoms on Netflix aren't great but I'll give credit to the Crew with Kevin James. It was decent.

I couldn't make it through the first episode.  Maybe I need to give it another try.

[Murdock2420]

(04-28-2021, 11:03 AM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I couldn't make it through the first episode.  Maybe I need to give it another try.

It is decent not great... maybe the lack of good.options lowered my opinion. I will say it seemed to get better into the season but as I really think about it, it was funny moments over all around funny probably. 

[XenoMorph]

its not just the movies either have you watched any of the late nights lately?

[CKwi88]

I'd say it's a combination of everything. Comedy is really hard too pull off to begin with. And with the Frat pack aging out, and the younger ones more focused on behind the camera work (Rogen and Franco for example) there's no real next group of mainstay comedic actors. The blending of the genres also hurts, as some of the most recent funny(ish) movies were billed as action movies first. Comedy is often presented in the quips and one liners in other big blockbusters.

And yes, people get older. Even some movies I thought were funny 15/20 years ago are more snortworthy than laugh out loud worthy as time goes on.

[CarolinaBengalFanGuy]

(04-27-2021, 09:02 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Just take a look at these names and go check their IMDB pages for the last comedy they made that you personally would consider good...

Funny - Actually Good? I'll list the last movie i found funny and the last good comedy

Will Ferrell - Daddy's Home/Get Hard (2015) - Megamind (2010) - Step Brothers (2008) *Live-action

Vince Vaughn - Freaky (2020) * actually very good before that Wedding Crashers (2005)

Owen Wilson - The Internship (2013) - Wedding Crashers (2005)

Ben Stiller - The Watch (2012) - Tropic Thunder/Madagascar 2 (2008) --> Recently he was in the Meyerowitz Stories which I liked but was not a comedy and his cameo in the shitty movie Hubie Halloween was fantastic.

Mike Meyers - Shrek in general (2010) - Austin Powers Trilogy (2002) * live action. Personally he's only had 3 hits, I married an Axe Murderer, Waynes World, and Austin Powers. Though they are all so damn good.

Jonah Hill - 22 Jump Street (2014) - 21 Jump Street (2012)

Seth Rogan - This is the End (2013) - Pineapple Express (2008) *Peak Rogen

James Franco - The Disaster Artist (2017)

Steve Carrell - Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) *if you count RomComs otherwise - The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)

Jack Black - The New Jumanji (2019) *He's one of the highlights - Some mixture of Kung Fu Panda/Bernie/The Polka King, which is independent or animated stuff

Ed Helms - Tag (2018) - Cedar Rapids/The Hangover II (2011) - I don't really like Ed helms much

Jason Segel - This is the End (2013) - Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) *Peak Segel outside of HiMYM

Paul Rudd - Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) *Legit great, but before that series Knocked Up (2008) - I have high hopes for Ghostbusters: Afterlife

My list for those guys. Now I can enjoy a good shitty comedy. Like Vince Vaugh in the Internship. I love watching that movie. I enjoy it a lot despite it being crap. But is it a great comedy? Not even close.

I need more comedy. Comedy is what I watch when I can't sleep, if I'm sick, or if I just want to kill myself.

[CarolinaBengalFanGuy]

(04-27-2021, 10:29 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: 2) The comedy genre is getting hammered down due to the politically correct movement. Not trying to get political but literally a ton of my favorite movies like Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds, Blazing Saddles, etc... you just couldn't make in today's world. It would get shut down in a split second for being insensitive, not inclusive enough, etc.

Well I havent seen Animal House in a long time, but

"We got bush!" and "The Sheriff is (Bell sounds) 

[CarolinaBengalFanGuy]

(04-28-2021, 01:14 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: It is decent not great... maybe the lack of good.options lowered my opinion. I will say it seemed to get better into the season but as I really think about it, it was funny moments over all around funny probably. 

It's honestly terrible, but I have a Adam Sandler and crew sized hole in my heart that is never filled so I just keep watching episodes.

I was looking for a movie thread but didn't see one so I'll just add it here since it's listed as a RomCom. I'm watching this tonight:

[XenoMorph]

(05-13-2021, 04:22 AM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: My list for those guys. Now I can enjoy a good shitty comedy. Like Vince Vaugh in the Internship. I love watching that movie. I enjoy it a lot despite it being crap. But is it a great comedy? Not even close.

I need more comedy. Comedy is what I watch when I can't sleep, if I'm sick, or if I just want to kill myself.

just keep watching Grandma's Boy / Beer Fest   lol those are my go to

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-27-2021, 10:29 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: So I have a couple thoughts on why this trend is happening.

I may be totally wrong but it is just a guess.

1) Covid in the past two years has made everything suck, so it is hard to judge the most recent years but prior to that....

2) The comedy genre is getting hammered down due to the politically correct movement. Not trying to get political but literally a ton of my favorite movies like Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds, Blazing Saddles, etc... you just couldn't make in today's world. It would get shut down in a split second for being insensitive, not inclusive enough, etc.

3) The diversity of platforms. Netflix, Hulu, Prime Movies, Disney, etc. There are some hidden gems out there amongst these streaming platforms, but they aren't getting the mainstream push like you would see when everything was in the theater years ago. An example is movie 43 on Netflix, it is like a modern day Kentucky Fried Movie.

Finally, is that the landscape shifted. The superhero movies are king right now, and that is where the money is at. Take Deadpool for example, it is a superhero movie but at the same time I would call it a comedy as it makes me laugh still when I watch it.

Anyways, those would be my sort of thoughts on what has happened to the comedy world. 

Murdock and Xeno nailed it. I do love Tucker and Dale vs Evil, one of the few comedies of our day and Grabbers.

But the politically correct movement is the reason comedy has died. Everyone is offended by everything now a days.

Thin skinned millennials who don't know how to laugh at anything has killed comedy. Seinfeld even says so.

[Vas Deferens]

Bad Trip is amazing. Check it out if you haven't already.

[Murdock2420]

(05-13-2021, 04:18 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Murdock and Xeno nailed it. I do love Tucker and Dale vs Evil, one of the few comedies of our day and Grabbers.

But the politically correct movement is the reason comedy has died. Everyone is offended by everything now a days.

Thin skinned millennials who don't know how to laugh at anything has killed comedy. Seinfeld even says so.

Yeah, it is truly sad.

Also, Tucker and Dale vs Evil is absolutely amazing. First time I watched it, I was like what pile of crap was that!??! Now that I've seen in multiple times, I'm like this is brilliant and funny.

I also like Bill Burr's stand-up since he literally goes out of his way to piss off the P.C. crowd with a total I don't give a damn attitude.

[*bfine32*]

(04-28-2021, 10:40 AM)XenoMorph Wrote: not allowed to be funny anymore it offends people

BINGO