Why Hollywood Is Dying

February 20th, 2026· 626 views· 0:48
Benzinga
Benzinga

Ben Affleck says there’s “some truth” to the idea that Hollywood is struggling — and he says the reason is simple math. During an appearance on the “All the Smoke” podcast, Affleck explained that it’s very difficult to make a movie for less than $25 million in production costs. Marketing can cost roughly the same, putting studios at about $50 million invested. Because theaters generally return about 50% of box office grosses, a film would need to gross around $100 million just for the studio to break even. Key figures: • ~$25M production cost • ~$25M marketing cost • ~$50M total investment • ~50% studio share of box office • ~$100M needed to break even Affleck argues that when margins are that tight — and streaming, gaming, and social media compete for attention — studios default to recognizable IP and lower-risk bets. #BenAffleck #Hollywood #BoxOffice 🖥️ Try Benzinga Pro FREE with a 14 day trial: https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register 📈 Take your trading to the next level with our suite of premium research services and tools: https://www.benzinga.com/services 🌐 Find more market-moving insights at https://www.benzinga.com — your one-stop destination for the latest financial news, data, and expert analysis to stay ahead of the markets. 📲 Follow us on socials @benzinga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 🔹Free Benzinga Webinars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ2jOJNkDfI&list=PL4k0fH8EgI3YTdqniRmxrvz97w3IQ61rD 🔹Benzinga Pro Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2FaHhLIrks&list=PL4k0fH8EgI3YMwoBMFXGvVMkgixFymmei&pp=gAQB 🔹Earnings Calls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2-AoCw64Ok&list=PL4k0fH8EgI3buZI5529R53wJUNd9NS4_s 🔹Premarket Playbook: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4k0fH8EgI3ZVRPM7INpG--GvohnBVTnT 🔹Benzinga's All Access: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4k0fH8EgI3bQSn91atO-3lPT4V6Nwsmh 🔹Subscribe To The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Benzinga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ⚠️ Disclaimer: Investing in financial markets carries risk, and there are no guaranteed returns. All information is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. Always do your own research and speak with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Only invest what you can afford to lose. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes. #StockMarket #StockMarketNews #Trading #StockMarketLive #Stocks #stocktrading #learntotrade #DayTrading #StockMarketToday