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Netflix and Disney+ have invested billions in non-English originals ( Squid Game , Money Heist , Lupin ) precisely because they have realized that a hit in Korea is a hit in Kansas. Popular media has become a two-way street. American producers are now remaking foreign hits, and foreign directors are being handed the keys to American IP.
Generative AI also threatens to disrupt the workforce of popular media. Writers and actors recently went on strike for months, partially to secure protections against AI replacement. The tension between efficiency (AI tools) and authenticity (human art) will define the next decade of entertainment content. The landscape of entertainment content and popular media in 2025 is complex, chaotic, and exhilarating. The old walls have fallen. A teenager in a bedroom has the same publishing power as a studio executive. A three-hour movie competes for attention with a three-second meme. FrolicMe.24.03.09.Lovita.Fate.Untouched.XXX.108...
But perhaps the most important takeaway is this: You are no longer just a consumer. In the age of the algorithm, your likes, shares, watch time, and skips are the fuel that powers the machine. Every time you pick up your phone, you are casting a vote for the type of world you want to live in. Netflix and Disney+ have invested billions in non-English
TikTok’s "For You Page" and YouTube’s recommendation engine have replaced human curation. This has leveled the playing field, allowing obscure creators to go viral overnight. However, it has also created a homogenization of style. Because algorithms favor high retention, creators have learned to mimic successful formats to the point of parody. Generative AI also threatens to disrupt the workforce
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) perfected this. To understand the full arc of Avengers: Endgame , you needed to have seen 21 previous movies. But the model has expanded. Today, a Star Wars story might begin in a movie, continue in a Disney+ series ( The Mandalorian ), conclude in a novel, and offer side-quests in a video game.
Where traditional media relied on three-act structures and slow burns, short-form demands instant gratification. A 15-second video must hook the viewer in the first millisecond. This has bled back into long-form media. Major film studios now release trailers that are cut like TikTok edits—fast, loud, and packed with emotional spikes.