The Wuthering Heights Effect: How Trump's Wrath is Changing the Hollywood Blockbuster
It appears that the Hollywood blockbuster, which was once a bastion of liberal values and progressive storytelling, has become a hotbed of controversy in recent times. The latest casualty of this trend is the inclusion of "woke" themes in mainstream films, which have been under threat from the Trump administration's intimidation tactics.
The latest evidence of this can be seen in the film adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, which has managed to avoid the kind of social media firestorm that might have scuppered it in a pre-Trump universe. However, the fact that this film is being made at all, without such controversy erupting, suggests that the climate has changed.
A similar phenomenon can be seen with Michael Jackson's biopic, which has been hailed as "sugar-coated" by Jackson's daughter, who claims that it "panders to a very specific section of my dad's fandom that still lives in the fantasy". This kind of sanitized storytelling is precisely what one would expect from a film about a figure as polarizing and complex as Michael Jackson.
However, the influence of Trump's wrath on mainstream films cannot be denied. The fact that Paramount Pictures has recently been taken over by David Ellison, son of Larry, one of Trump's key allies, may have contributed to the renewed interest in Rush Hour 4. Furthermore, the threat of non-specific "tariffs" on the film industry, ostensibly aimed at keeping movie production inside the US, could be seen as a veiled attempt to keep Hollywood executives nervous and pliable.
The impact of this intimidation is evident in films like Young Washington, which promises to deliver "romance, police interest and radical social change", but seems likely to be little more than a faith film designed to appeal to Trump's base. Similarly, The Bride! remake promises to bring "romance" and "police interest" to the table, while also hinting at some kind of "radical social change". This kind of sanitized storytelling is precisely what one would expect from a film that seems likely to be trying to appeal to the Trump administration's sensibilities.
However, not all films seem to be affected by this trend. Films like Supergirl and Clayface, which were released in 2025, were deemed too "immigrant-friendly" for their time, leading to public backlash. It remains to be seen whether Disney will pull in its horns with the release of films such as Hoppers, a robot beaver cartoon, and a fifth Toy Story movie.
In the end, it is difficult to say whether Trump's wrath has had a lasting impact on mainstream films or if this is simply a fleeting phenomenon. However, one thing is clear: the climate in Hollywood has changed, and films that were once considered too "woke" are now being made with a more sanitized approach. It remains to be seen how long this trend will last and what kind of films will emerge from it.
It appears that the Hollywood blockbuster, which was once a bastion of liberal values and progressive storytelling, has become a hotbed of controversy in recent times. The latest casualty of this trend is the inclusion of "woke" themes in mainstream films, which have been under threat from the Trump administration's intimidation tactics.
The latest evidence of this can be seen in the film adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, which has managed to avoid the kind of social media firestorm that might have scuppered it in a pre-Trump universe. However, the fact that this film is being made at all, without such controversy erupting, suggests that the climate has changed.
A similar phenomenon can be seen with Michael Jackson's biopic, which has been hailed as "sugar-coated" by Jackson's daughter, who claims that it "panders to a very specific section of my dad's fandom that still lives in the fantasy". This kind of sanitized storytelling is precisely what one would expect from a film about a figure as polarizing and complex as Michael Jackson.
However, the influence of Trump's wrath on mainstream films cannot be denied. The fact that Paramount Pictures has recently been taken over by David Ellison, son of Larry, one of Trump's key allies, may have contributed to the renewed interest in Rush Hour 4. Furthermore, the threat of non-specific "tariffs" on the film industry, ostensibly aimed at keeping movie production inside the US, could be seen as a veiled attempt to keep Hollywood executives nervous and pliable.
The impact of this intimidation is evident in films like Young Washington, which promises to deliver "romance, police interest and radical social change", but seems likely to be little more than a faith film designed to appeal to Trump's base. Similarly, The Bride! remake promises to bring "romance" and "police interest" to the table, while also hinting at some kind of "radical social change". This kind of sanitized storytelling is precisely what one would expect from a film that seems likely to be trying to appeal to the Trump administration's sensibilities.
However, not all films seem to be affected by this trend. Films like Supergirl and Clayface, which were released in 2025, were deemed too "immigrant-friendly" for their time, leading to public backlash. It remains to be seen whether Disney will pull in its horns with the release of films such as Hoppers, a robot beaver cartoon, and a fifth Toy Story movie.
In the end, it is difficult to say whether Trump's wrath has had a lasting impact on mainstream films or if this is simply a fleeting phenomenon. However, one thing is clear: the climate in Hollywood has changed, and films that were once considered too "woke" are now being made with a more sanitized approach. It remains to be seen how long this trend will last and what kind of films will emerge from it.
. The whole "woke" thing has always been a bit polarizing, but now I think studios are just trying to stay on good terms with the administration. It's weird how films like Wuthering Heights and Michael Jackson's biopic can get made without all the drama that usually comes with them.
. I mean, Young Washington and The Bride! remake sound like they're trying way too hard to appeal to Trump's base. And what about all the talented writers and directors who are being pushed out of the industry? It's like they're just going to make films that will make everyone happy, but won't necessarily be any good.
. They've always been a bit more laid-back than the big studios, and I think they'll keep making films that are true to themselves, even if that means going against the trend. Hoppers and Toy Story 5 sound like fun!
just saw the news about wuthering heights and i gotta say its a real sign of the times. trumps wrath is definitely changing the hollywood blockbuster game. theyre making films with less controversy now, but at what cost? its like theyre sacrificing artistic integrity for a chance to appeal to trump's base. 
meanwhile, any film that's deemed "too woke" is getting the boot. what a sad state of affairs.
movies like young washington just sound like cheap attempts to appeal to trumpies, all romance and police interest but no real substance. meanwhile supergirl and clayface got cancelled for being too pro-immigrant 
not sure what the future holds for hollywood now that trumps been making his presence felt. also i heard disney's got a few more immigrant-friendly films in the pipeline, but its hard to say if they'll make it out alive 
. Like, the film industry is no longer as edgy or bold as it used to be, and it's becoming super sanitized 
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. It's like, they're trying to create a certain vibe or atmosphere in films that appeals to their base, but at the same time, it's also kind of suffocating the creativity and originality of filmmakers 
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. But at the same time, there's this...this sense that something is being held back or censored 
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. The question is, will we ever go back to the old days of edgy, woke filmmaking? 
theyre like changing the script on us intentionally 
dont get me wrong, its not a bad thing that theyre making more films that appeal to trump's base...but its like we're losing our edge, you know? 
. And don't even get me started on the rush hour 4 thing... who would have thought it'd be a priority for Paramount Pictures? 
But honestly, I think it's a bit of a blessing in disguise - now we might see some more diverse stories being told, even if they're not exactly what you'd call "radical social change" 
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. The sanitized storytelling in films like Young Washington and The Bride! remake just feels...off 
. Where's the depth? The nuance? It's like they're trying to appease a certain audience rather than tell a genuine story 
! If they can stay true to their core values, that's all we need to know 
, and it's refreshing to see them being released despite the backlash.
. But hey, who knows what the future holds? Maybe we'll see a resurgence of bold storytelling once Trump's influence wanes 
.
! Who else is with me? 
but your friends know all the juicy gossip 
. Trump's influence is like a big ol' scoop of ice cream - it might seem sweet at first, but it'll give you brain freeze 
. Everyone's trying to keep their head down and make films that won't get them yelled at on Twitter 
. I'm all for social change, but not if it means watering down the message just to fit someone's agenda 
I guess that's what they mean by "diversifying their slate"