From Hollywood in the 1920s to Hollywood in 2022, the movie industry has changed drastically. Hollywood has seen transformation in their movies throughout the years, and after decades of Hollywood being everyone’s favorite, it’s about time something came along and changed it. 

For so many years Hollywood has been in the spotlight, however, with the introduction of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus, that spotlight has started to dim. 

On March 27 the Oscar Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California. While people were dressed for the night and ready to hear the award-winners, no one was ready to hear the news that Hollywood was dying. 

The movie, CODA, a 2021 Apple TV Original which focuses on the lives of children who have deaf parents, was the first movie from a streaming service to win Best Picture at the Oscars. This highlighted a shift in movie and entertainment; more people were watching movies on streaming services and not Hollywood produced movies. 

Ross High School students were asked if they would rather pay for a streaming service or go to the movies to watch a Hollywood film. Of Ross High School students surveyed, 81.1 percent said they would rather pay for a streaming service. 

People might be wondering why there is a sudden shift in the movie industry. Why are streaming services taking over? What will the future look like for Hollywood movies and for academy awards? 

While we don’t know all the answers to all those questions, we do know more people enjoy being able to find a movie to watch in the comfort of their own home. 

Senior Cora Stevens stated, “People are realizing more and more how convenient it is to open a streaming service and have hundreds of options.”

Streaming services allow for people to watch any type of movie they wish at any time of the day. People don’t have to wait months or years for their favorite movie to show up in a movie theater anymore. 

The cost of attending a movie is also a factor to consider. The average cost of going to a movie theater to watch the newest movie in 2021 is $9.57. The average cost for a streaming service is roughly $9.00. Buying a streaming service with hundreds of movies at your hands at any time is much more affordable in the long run than going to a movie once. 

Junior Noah Schlasinger stated, “Now with streaming services, people can access an abundance of movies just by the click of a remote. They are also not super expensive as they are usually around $10-15 a month meaning if you watch enough movies, it’s worth your while.” 

In the end, it’s up to the people to decide if Hollywood has reached its end or if it still has a future. Times are changing like they have been for the past several decades. What was popular in the 1990s isn’t necessarily what will be popular in 2022. 

We grew up watching Hollywood original films, going to the movies with our friends and family when the hot new movie released, and waiting months to see a film. Even though those days are coming to an end and streaming services are more popular, Hollywood hasn’t taken its final breath yet.