An Unexpected Journey, or the morning after

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I think that's the main issue too. But that's been going on for a while. I wonder if the aduience now expects something like this because Hollywood has been making films that way, or if they have started making them that way because the audience expects it. I suppose it's a bit of a "the chicken or the egg" question, though.

Actually you've answered your own question- audiences couldn't expect something unless it had been done already, could they? It's not so much a chicken-and-egg situation as a vicious cycle: elements from successful movies get copied until they become a formula, audiences come to accept the formula as "how films are meant to be", more and more films use it because, "it's what the audience wants"... etc.

Bit like fantasy novelists copying Tolkien, as a matter of fact.