Dakota Johnson Slams Hollywood’s Creativity Crisis: “It’s All Just a Bit of a Mess”

The actress criticizes the industry’s obsession with remakes and committee-driven decisions, calling for fresh, original storytelling.

Hollywood’s remake obsession just got called out—loud and clear—by none other than Dakota Johnson. While appearing on the popular interview series Hot Ones, the Materialists star didn’t hold back when asked why she thinks the industry has become so creatively risk-averse.

Johnson, known for her roles in Fifty Shades of Grey and several indie films, took a candid swipe at the way movies are made today. “It’s hard when creative decisions are made by committee,” she said, “especially when those decisions are being made by people who don’t even watch movies or know anything about them.” According to her, that’s becoming the norm in Hollywood—and it’s stifling originality.

Reflecting on the current landscape, Johnson added, “When something does well, studios want to keep that going so they remake the same things. But humans don’t want that. They want to feel new things, see new things, experience new things.” She summed up the situation in one phrase: “It’s all just a bit of a mess right now.”

Her criticism lands at a time when Hollywood is deep in a cycle of reboots, sequels, and spin-offs. From upcoming reimaginings of Harry Potter and Twilight to the ever-expanding universes of Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory, studios are increasingly leaning into familiar IPs with built-in fan bases—often at the cost of originality.

Johnson’s remarks echo a growing frustration among creatives and fans alike, many of whom are hungry for bold, new storytelling. In a system driven by data and dollar signs, fresh ideas often take a backseat. And if Dakota’s right, that might be the very reason the system feels so broken.

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