Today was a dark day for the entertainment industry. Lionsgate announced 'Allegiant,' the third book in the 'Divergent' series, would be split into two films. At this point cutting the final installment has become rampant and its time to raise awareness for this affliction sweeping the west coast.
Saga addiction is a serious problem in Hollywood today. Studies show that as many as eight out of ten movie executives have dabbled with sagas and up to 47.685% of those who try sagas even once become dependent.
What is saga addiction?
In moderation, sagas are like any filmmaking technique. Useful to keep the plot from bunching up or moving too fast for audiences to get attached to the characters. Addiction sets in when the movie executive is no longer able to discern if the source material is thick enough to warrant being broken up into two, three, or in cases of extreme addiction, four or more films.
As the executive becomes more and more dependent on this single source revenue stream they'll continue stretching out a franchise to diminishing returns until the material and original fan base completely rejects the host. At this point, the Saga addict will move on to the next big thing, hoping for another high.
What are the symptoms of Saga addiction?
Symptoms include:
• Fever
• Nausea
• Feelings of invincibility
• Inability to properly judge audience interest
• Irrational box office expectations
• Short-term memory loss
• Difficulty waiting to green-light installments until the current one is released
• Poor judgement
Could a movie executive I know be suffering from Saga addiction?
No one in a position of power to green light projects is immune to Saga addiction. If you or someone you love has been contemplating the 'brilliant idea' of taking a beloved book series and cutting the final book in half to create a movie quartet, it is already too late. The addiction has taken hold. If you are still uncertain, show them the following list of film franchises. If their – or your – reaction to expanding these series into bloated franchises that go on and on and on for no reason other than an obvious cash grab is anything other than blinding rage, they – or you – are a Saga addict.
• Harry Potter
• Twilight
• The Hunger Games
• Divergent
• The Hobbit
How does one recover from Saga addiction?
There is currently no known cure for Saga addiction. Researchers are currently working on a detox program but it might be years in the making. In the meantime, the best way to manage this addiction is to repeat the mantra “If 'Lord of the Rings' could tell their story in three movies, so can I.”