Why Hollywood Is Eerily Similar to USAID

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Brady Corbet didn’t get rich making “The Brutalist.”

As a proud supporter of the critically acclaimed film that was nominated for an Oscar, I can’t help but share my disappointment in learning that it has only managed to rake in $31 million worldwide. Even more disheartening is the news that its talented writer and director didn’t receive a single penny from the profits generated by the drama they so passionately created. It’s a real shame that such an exceptional piece of work hasn’t been fairly compensated for its success.

Let’s put that Hollywood accounting aside.

Corbet produced “The Brutalist” at around a ten-million-dollar budget. However, that figure may not seem remarkable until one has viewed the movie. It’s truly breathtaking, embodying the grandeur of the past with exceptional acting, captivating performances, and awe-inspiring natural vistas in the traditional sense of an epic.

Corbet made every penny count. And he’s the exception to the rule.

Hollywood has a striking similarity to USAID, the U.S. agency often associated with waste, due to Team DOGE’s influence. In simpler terms, just as USAID has gained an unfortunate reputation for being wasteful, so too has Hollywood, in this context, been compared to it, thanks to Team DOGE.

Discuss “Wolf Man,” the recent effort to resurrect the iconic horror figure from the past. Despite its January debut failing to ignite interest at the cinema, the movie appears to have been produced on a smaller budget compared to “The Brutalist.

Much less.

The movie predominantly unfolds in a secluded woodland cabin, while additional sequences occur within the surrounding woods. The special effects are kept to a bare minimum, and the only well-known actor among the cast is Julia Garner, known for her work on “Ozark”.

The reported budget stands at $25 million. Where did the money go?

2023’s unexpected box office sensation, “Wolf Man,” shares similarities with “Godzilla Minus Zero” in terms of their impact. While “Godzilla Minus Zero” is a well-known Hollywood blockbuster, “Wolf Man” was made on a budget under $15 million, yet it boasts the same high-quality effects typically associated with big-budget films.

In the same vein, “The Creator” can be equated to. Despite being a 2023 box office flop, this movie boasts visuals as rich as any Marvel Cinematic Universe production. However, its production budget, relatively small in Hollywood terms, was only $80 million.

Director Gareth Edwards admits to Variety that he feels a bit self-conscious about the $80 million budget, stating they could have managed with a lower cost.

In the meantime, the movie “Captain America: Brave New World” produced by FX is receiving harsh criticism from critics for its costly production, with estimates suggesting it could reach as much as $380 million following numerous reshots. This includes the claim that the film is “humiliating.

The overwhelming figures inevitably make one think of USAID. This federal agency, founded by President John F. Kennedy with a mission to combat global poverty and foster democracy, is currently facing criticism from the accounting department within President Donald Trump’s administration.

An informal body known as the Department of Government Efficiency has drawn back the USAID veil, revealing a rather unpleasant sight.

We can find humor in some over-the-top instances of USAID’s activities, such as spending “$7.9 million” on a project aimed at educating Sri Lankan journalists about using non-binary language instead of traditional gender terms.

It’s better to focus on more concrete criticisms, like this:

According to the president of El Salvador, many governments are hesitant to accept USAID funds because they recognize where a significant portion of that money often goes – not towards genuine projects benefiting those in need. At best, approximately 10% of the funding may reach such projects. Reducing this supposed aid isn’t just advantageous for the United States; it also represents a positive development for the rest of the world.

Both USAID and Hollywood do some good work.

Previously, it has been our role to assist those in distant locations, embodying America’s compassionate nature. Multitudes are captivated by the top-tier entertainment that Hollywood offers, ranging from visually stunning movies such as “Dune” to engaging TV series like “The Bear,” “Landman,” and numerous other productions.

Each must reign in their exorbitant spending and cut waste for long-term viability.

In a similar vein, just as President Trump assigned Elon Musk to assess USAID and comparable government initiatives, it might be beneficial for Hollywood studios to engage visionaries like Corbet, Edwards, and “Godzilla Minus One” director Takashi Yamazaki to conduct reviews of their own operations.

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2025-02-23 21:03