Ron Howard Is Optimistic About The Potential For Adult Dramas To Succeed At The Box Office

If there's one thing Hollywood has proven over the years, it's that it's an ever-changing industry. Since the popularization of the motion picture and the commercialization of cinema, it has gone through phases and evolved in ways that even its brightest minds couldn't see coming. In recent years, the business has taken a particular liking to remakes, reboots, revivals, and properties focused on spandex and cape-clad heroes. These fads have drawn heavy criticism from such titans as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Quentin Tarantino, among others, who worry about the future of film given this new direction.

The latest entertainment veteran to give their two cents on the film and TV landscape is Ron Howard. For those unfamiliar, Howard has done pretty much everything there is to do both in front of and behind the camera. He's acted in projects like "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Happy Days," directed features such as "The Da Vinci Code" and "Solo: A Star Wars Story," and produced shows like "Felicity" and "Arrested Development," among others. Therefore, it goes without saying that he knows the ins and outs of Hollywood more intimately than most, and he has what he surely feels is a firm grasp on where it's headed.

When asked if a genre he's found great success in, the event drama, is dying off or is now a box office gamble, Ron Howard made it clear that he's actually optimistic for its future.

On November 30, 2022, Deadline's "Crew Call Podcast" got the chance to speak with Ron Howard about his latest film, "Thirteen Lives," which premiered in July. Of course, the conversation shifted to other topics as well, such as the state of the adult drama genre in Hollywood in the early 2020s. When asked if he can see it surviving the endless onslaught of superhero movies and blockbusters, Howard stated that he sees good things for it in the future. "If priced properly, they can be a reasonable bet, and I think most studio execs feel that way," he explained to listeners.

At the same time, Howard believes there's a bit of learning to do given the ever-shifting nature of the entertainment world in 2022. He adds, "I think we're still learning as we go here. It's being redefined. I do believe in it." Still, the ability to redefine the genre itself is only partially influenced by creators in Howard's mind. That responsibility also falls on the shoulders of the audiences themselves and their viewing habits. "I don't think anyone has given up on the idea or pretends to really know. At the end of the day, the audience is going to define it," Howard concluded.

Film and TV are in an odd spot these days, with it becoming increasingly difficult to get certain productions in front of the masses or off the ground in general. Hopefully, Ron Howard's assessment of the future of the adult drama isn't too far off.