Hollywood seeks a new direction.

VHO - The American film industry is entering a period of significant transformation as Hollywood seeks new paths, asserting the role of artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and diversified content strategies as crucial pillars reshaping how global audiences are created and reached.

A Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, the film capital of the United States. Photo: AFP/VNA

Entering 2026, Hollywood is facing numerous challenges following the consecutive failures of a series of superhero blockbusters and sequels in 2025, which resulted in last summer's box office falling short of expectations. This situation poses a strategic challenge for studios: Is the traditional production model, based primarily on exploiting existing franchises and developing remakes, still suitable when audience demands and tastes are constantly changing?

In April, the box office frenzy returned with the success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, produced by Illumination and Nintendo, bringing renewed success to Hollywood as the animated film attracted large numbers of young audiences to theaters, setting a record for 2026 to reach $1 billion in revenue.

Films like How to Train Your Dragon and Twilight , which have also been adapted into online games, have attracted a large audience, especially Gen Z. This success is partly due to the large number of young viewers who embrace them. Film studios like Universal Pictures, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros. have targeted younger audiences, including Gen Z and Alpha, who are considered a driving force behind box office growth in recent times. According to a report from market research firm National Research Group , Alpha generations tend to go to the movies in theaters more often than other age groups.

Furthermore, since the beginning of June, the trend of users using social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube has been steadily increasing. The US box office has witnessed the "rise" of a new group of filmmakers from YouTube, the world's largest video platform. Gen Z YouTuber directors are now creating a "boost" for Hollywood, turning low-budget films into box office phenomena, with revenues far exceeding their production budgets.

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One of the competitive advantages of YouTubers is their ability to build and maintain a loyal following. With a readily available audience and high level of engagement, YouTubers can quickly spread information about their work to a large number of viewers. This not only creates positive word-of-mouth, expanding the reach of the work, but also helps producers optimize costs for media and promotional activities.

Instead of being limited to traditional methods, American film studios are now also paying attention to digital platforms. Young creators have brought a "breath of fresh air," captivating large audiences who are willing to spend hours watching multi-episode stories streamed on online platforms.

Experts predict that the wave of YouTubers making films will grow rapidly in Hollywood in the coming years. Specifically, Hollywood is moving towards short films, with each episode shot in a vertical format, usually lasting only 1-3 minutes, and this is becoming one of the fastest-growing genres in the entertainment industry.

Clearly, Hollywood has entered the most profound transformation in its history. From an industry primarily based on box office revenue, the American film industry is reshaping its development model towards a combination of artificial intelligence (AI), cross-platform content, and global film franchises.

The 2026 Oscar season reflects a turning point for Hollywood, highlighting the role of AI as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) officially announced the inclusion of AI in its Oscar award criteria for the first time. The 2026 Cannes Film Festival will also feature a series of AI-powered works, while Meta has become an official Cannes partner through a multi-year cooperation agreement. Morgan Stanley research also indicates that AI could help reduce film and television production costs by up to 30%.

This development reflects a significant shift in the mindset of the global film industry in the face of the wave of artificial intelligence development, showing that AI is no longer seen as a passing trend but is becoming an important tool for the film industry.

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With this shift, factors such as the influx of young directors, strategies for leveraging digital platforms, and significant investment in AI could become key drivers of Hollywood's innovation in the coming years.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-gioi/hollywood-tim-huong-di-moi-241330.html