What the Movies Avatar and Twilight Have in Common - It Is More Than You Think!
January 8, 2010
Now I know many of you reading the subject line of this blog will think I am crazy. Yet if you stop to think, both of these huge successes are based on well-known stories.
* Twilight is the story of Romeo and Juliet
* Avatar is the classic conqueror vs. natives story…. very similar to Last of the Mohicans or Dances with Wolves (in my opinion Avatar is the former; many of my friends weigh in on the latter).
Both of these movies have taken age-old stories and updated them with vampires, werewolves and aliens. These are just two examples of the old adage that people want a story that is recognizable yet feels updated and current.
Also, both of these are the story of underdogs winning. In Twilight, it’s a story of the awkward, klutzy, not-the-most-social girl who gets the guy, and in Avatar it’s the story of a cripple who unites with the natives to overthrow the big bad conqueror. Most importantly, these stories are utterly universal.
The success of both these movies points to trends in the marketplace.
1) People want a story that feels familiar yet told in an updated way.
2) People want to be uplifted.
In these times of economic hardships, people want to believe that the little guys can win. And people want to believe that the ugly duckling can get the prince — even if she never turns into a swan.
More importantly, people want to go to the movies to be entertained — to escape the hard realities of their daily lives. And both these movies provide just that — a story that is inherently familiar yet told in an updated way and where the little guy wins. Everyone can walk out of the movies in good spirits!
If you are struggling to find an inspiration for your next project, think of a universal story that can be updated in an exciting way and can entertain people and give them hope!
