While The Marvels or Lightyear underperformed, so did Indiana Jones 5 and Flash. Correlation is not causation. For every failure, there is a Barbie ($1.4 billion, deeply feminist) or Top Gun: Maverick (featuring a diverse younger squadron).

As American media dominance wanes, we are seeing a rise in local rep. Korean K-Dramas, Nigerian Nollywood, and Indian Tollywood are exporting their own specific identities. The future of popular media is not a melting pot, but a mosaic.

While progress is undeniable, the current landscape is fraught with complications.