Hollywood’s Climate Conundrum: Why the Silver Screen Shuns Environmental Issues
As Hollywood churns out blockbuster after blockbuster, the glaring omission of climate change narratives raises eyebrows. Despite the dire predictions and tangible impacts of global warming, the film industry remains reluctant to tackle this pressing issue head-on.
Consider Twisters, the sequel to the 1996 disaster hit Twister. With stars like Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, and directed by Oklahoma native Lee Isaac Chung, the film presents thrilling tornado scenes but deliberately avoids any climate messaging. Chung’s stance mirrors a broader Hollywood trend, where films shy away from explicit environmental themes.
A recent study revealed that among 250 top-grossing films between 2013 and 2022, only a small fraction acknowledged climate change. Even fewer depicted characters aware of it. Films like Don’t Look Up—a satirical take on climate inaction—are rare exceptions.
This hesitation stems partly from the industry's fear of political backlash. Climate change can be a hard sell in an escapism-driven industry, and narratives without clear villains or immediate drama often fail to captivate.
Yet, history shows that films can influence public opinion and policy. The Day After Tomorrow raised climate awareness despite its flaws, and classic works like Uncle Tom’s Cabin and The Jungle spurred societal change.
As the climate crisis intensifies, the need for impactful storytelling grows. Future films must balance cautionary tales with visions of positive climate action, engaging audiences and fostering a deeper understanding of this global challenge.
The rodeo crowd cheers as a man rides a bucking horse. Suddenly, chaos erupts—a storm of leaves, mobile phones ringing, and sirens wailing. Horses run wild, cars collide, and a vehicle is flung into the air by a massive tornado. This dramatic scene is from the film Twisters, a Hollywood blockbuster starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. The movie, a sequel to the 1996 hit Twister, entertains but misses a crucial opportunity to highlight the climate crisis.
Director Lee Isaac Chung, who grew up in Oklahoma’s tornado belt, stated he wanted to avoid any explicit messaging in the film. This stance reflects a broader trend in Hollywood, where despite the urgent threat of global warming, climate change rarely features prominently in major films.
A study by the nonprofit Good Energy and Colby College’s Buck Lab for Climate and Environment found that out of 250 top-grossing fictional films from 2013 to 2022, only 32 (12.8%) acknowledged climate change, and just 24 (9.6%) had characters aware of it. A notable exception was Don’t Look Up (2021), a satire featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, which used a planet-destroying comet as an allegory for climate inaction.
Despite the pressing nature of the climate crisis, Hollywood's hesitation to address it can be partly attributed to a backlash against perceived political messaging. Movies like Disney's "woke" productions have faced criticism, making it difficult to pitch climate-focused stories to producers.
Alice Hill from the Council on Foreign Relations suggests that the anxiety-inducing nature of climate change makes it a tough sell in an industry driven by escapism. Screenwriters face challenges in crafting engaging narratives centered on climate change, which lacks the clear villains or immediate drama of other threats like nuclear war.
Historically, films have influenced public opinion on critical issues. The Day After Tomorrow (2004) increased awareness of climate issues despite its scientific inaccuracies. Similarly, Uncle Tom’s Cabin and The Jungle changed perceptions and policies on slavery and meatpacking, respectively. However, the cautionary tale of The China Syndrome (1979), which stalled nuclear power development, highlights the potential pitfalls of influential filmmaking.
As the climate crisis grows more visible, there is hope that climate storytelling in cinema will evolve. Joshua Glick of Bard College notes that blockbuster disaster films have always resonated with audiences. Katharine Hayhoe of Texas Tech University emphasizes the need for empowering stories that envision positive futures, alongside cautionary tales of climate catastrophe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is Hollywood hesitant to address the climate crisis? Hollywood often avoids climate change themes due to fears of political backlash and the challenge of making the topic engaging without clear villains or immediate drama.
How have films historically influenced public opinion on major issues? Films like Uncle Tom’s Cabin and The Jungle significantly impacted public perception and policy on slavery and meatpacking, respectively. Conversely, The China Syndrome influenced public fears about nuclear power.
What challenges do screenwriters face in creating climate-focused stories? Screenwriters struggle to craft compelling narratives around climate change due to its complex, slow-moving nature and the absence of a single identifiable antagonist.
Are there successful examples of films addressing climate change? The Day After Tomorrow and Don’t Look Up are notable examples, although the former was criticized for scientific inaccuracies, and the latter used allegory to highlight climate inaction.
What can be done to improve climate storytelling in films? Empowering stories that envision positive climate futures, alongside cautionary tales, can help audiences relate to and support climate action.
- #ClimateCinema
- #HollywoodAndClimate
- #EnvironmentalAwareness
- #FilmAndActivism
- #SustainableFuture
