(Conservative Playbook)—The film industry’s troubles show no sign of easing. Domestic box office revenue for October 2025 came in at roughly $425 million, marking the worst performance in 27 years outside of the pandemic era, per Comscore data. This dismal figure falls well below even the unadjusted $385.2 million from October 1997, a time before blockbuster franchises dominated screens.

Major releases failed to draw crowds. Disney’s *Tron: Ares*, with a reported net cost of $220 million, opened to just $33.2 million domestically and has scraped together only $65.1 million in the U.S., contributing to an estimated $132 million loss. Globally, it limped to $125.4 million, far short of expectations for a high-profile sci-fi sequel.

Similarly, Dwayne Johnson’s *The Smashing Machine* debuted with a meager $5.8 million opening weekend, ending its domestic run around $11 million and hovering near $20 million worldwide despite being boosted by excellent critical reviews. These flops join a string of underperformers that left theaters empty.

Beyond the ticket sales slump, the sector faces massive job erosion. Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics figures reveal staggering losses, with over 42,000 positions vanishing in the past two years—about a third of the workforce.

“FilmLA … reported that on-location production was down 22% in the first quarter of 2025,” adding to the pain from prior strikes and economic shifts. Studios have begun pulling back from California, citing high costs and regulatory burdens under far-left leadership. Despite a deep hatred by most in Hollywood toward anything “conservative,” they’re learning to love lower taxes and lighter regulations in red states like Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas.

Audience fatigue with heavy-handed messaging plays a role in the downturn. Pushback against ideological content has grown, as viewers seek entertainment free from lectures. The poor box office numbers come at a time when the film industry as a whole seems to be in decline. Yet some insiders whisper that this erosion serves deeper agendas, allowing tech giants to step in and reshape storytelling on their terms.

Enter artificial intelligence as a looming disruptor. OpenAI unveiled Sora 2 in September, an advanced video generator capable of rendering complex scenes from text prompts.

“Just last month, OpenAI released Sora 2, an AI video generator that could make much of the film production process unnecessary,” said a Hollywood film editor who asked not to be named. “To say we’re concerned is an understatement.”

This tool, now available via app in the U.S. and beyond, raises questions about who controls the narratives when machines handle creation. Critics in Japan, including reps from Bandai Namco and Studio Ghibli, have already demanded OpenAI halt unauthorized training on their IPs, hinting at broader battles over intellectual property in an AI-driven future.

If trends hold, traditional Hollywood may fade further, replaced by algorithms that prioritize efficiency over human creativity. Families and everyday moviegoers deserve stories that resonate with real life, not agendas or automated output. The industry’s path forward demands a return to what once made films great: genuine talent and crowd-pleasing tales.