“I have never had to think about what was happening in politics when writing a story” said Zoe Marshall, a writer and media professional known for her work on NBC’s drama series Found. Marshall is also on the prestigious Writers Guild of America West’s board of directors.
This was the principle on which many creatives in the entertainment industry approached their work. Today, however, the reality seems to be different. According to numerous writers, producers, and agents, the landscape of major productions is undergoing a noticeable shift. No one is issuing explicit directives, but the change is felt in small details: script changes requested by executives, characters and plots adjusted to avoid certain themes, and even the complete elimination of narrative elements considered too sensitive.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the major film studios, which in recent years had embraced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, are now taking a step back. The result is a less diverse range of casts and less bold stories addressing social issues. The message filtering through is clear: it’s better to avoid potentially divisive content.
Some industry professionals, without naming names, talk about how the atmosphere in the studio corridors has changed. While previously the representation of minorities and progressive themes was encouraged, today a more cautious approach is being taken. According to many, the fear is that this trend is a response to the political and economic pressures indirectly influencing the sector.
On a practical level, the change is reflected in many aspects of production. Some writers report that story proposals with minority protagonists or with socially engaged themes are met with less enthusiasm. Projects that once would have been greenlit now undergo long review processes, sometimes being shelved in favor of more “neutral” and less polarizing content.
Verna Myers, former head of inclusion at Netflix has a more forceful perspective. “Bullying is causing a lot of companies to reassess.” She adds that, “Most smart companies are just trying to figure out how far this is going to go. They’re trying to stay out of the crosshairs.”
Another effect of these new dynamics is the return of a certain narrative conformity. With the risk of causing controversies or alienating audience segments, many studios seem to prefer stories that don’t take too strong a stance, limiting the creativity of the writers. This leads to a standardization of content, leaving less room for innovation and experimentation.
For some, this is a natural adjustment after years of strong inclusivity, but for others, it’s a worrying sign of how creative freedom in entertainment might be influenced by external factors. Once, cinematic and television storytelling proceeded almost independently from political changes. Today, for many industry insiders, this freedom seems to be increasingly thinning.
The question many are asking is whether this trend is temporary or here to stay. The entertainment industry has always had a complex relationship with society and politics, swinging between periods of openness and phases of greater caution. What remains to be seen is whether authors and creatives will find new ways to make their voices heard in an ever-evolving context.
