Is Hollywood running out of ideas? The short answer is no, as there are plenty of movies released each and every year to both critical and commercial success. However, during the summer months the moviegoing audience are swamped by the annual parade of sequels, remakes, reboots, reimaginings and adaptations. With release dates set up to
five years in advance (yes, The Amazing Spider-Man 4, I'm talking about you) it seems that brand recognition and the elusive 'four-quadrant appeal' are more important than such hindrances as story, plot and character. I understand that like every other industry in the world, the movie business is ruled by the almighty dollar. But it seems as though audiences are beginning to tire of the never-ending cycle of effects-heavy blockbusters that saturate the marketplace at this time of year. In the summer of 2013 alone we have seen The Lone Ranger, White House Down, Scary Movie 5, Gangster Squad, R.I.P.D, Jack the Giant Slayer and even The Wolverine fall well short of box office expectations. There is a clear dearth of original content at the multiplex these days; so much so that only 8 of the 50 highest-grossing movies of all time are not based on an existing property, and that served as the inspiration for this article. Here is the rundown of the ten highest-grossing movies of all time that were based on nothing more than an idea and an original screenplay. Prepare for a few surprises, and make up your own mind as to whether or not Tinseltown is running out of originality.