In today's economy I HATE hearing about ANYONE loosing their jobs.

With the recent success of "Star Trek" I thought all would be peachy at Paramount. Hit of the year right?

I think execs. NEED to takes risks. That's where the most reward is. Find the next "Blair Witch Project." Find the next "Matrix." FIND the next breakthrough tallent be it writer, actor or director. THAT'S what you want your name assoicated with. Your accomplishemnt and vision speak volumes. Playing it is safe is DULL and in the long run WILL bring-out your own firing anyway, because you dind't have the balls to take the risk that someone else did, and cashed in on.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

I think what's arguable is this idea that endless remakes are "safe". When they bomb (which happens more often than not) because they are terrible and viewers don't want to pay for crap, how can they be regarded as safe?

Hollywood is killing itself with the downward spiral of low-quality retread material. New blood in the form of new (great, well-told, *original*) stories is desperately needed... yet an A-lister whose work helped make studios billions (yes, I typed that correctly) tells me that he doesn't think Hollywood wants new i.p. -- and that's just crazy.

This town is becoming the creative equivalent of a Nintendo Wii. Pretty, gimmicky and inundated with garbage pushed on the buying public. Of course, the Wii makes truckloads of cash on even the worst shovelware dreck, so why stop the gravy train?

No one's going to bother until the wheels come off.

Luzid, your analysis is spot on. And it is crazy not to seek out new IP instead of the presumed tried-and-true.