You walk into a theater. You've seen this world before—same characters, same logic, same stakes. The dopamine hits because your brain recognizes the pattern. But that's not quality, that's comfort. A 2022 Nielsen study showed audiences rated original films 23% higher in "emotional impact" than sequels. Think about "Parasite"—no franchise, no built-in audience, yet it changed how we talk about class on film. Meanwhile, your "Top Gun: Maverick" example works because it's the exception, not the rule. For every one of those, you get five "Fast & Furious" sequels that are just the same car chase with a different city. Original movies have to earn it. Sequels just have to remind you.
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