G-Rated Films Vanish
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G-rated films have completely disappeared from theaters. Studios now prefer PG-rated movies because they are thought to be more enjoyable across age brackets.
In 2003, there were over 30 full-length G-rated movie releases. In 2013, that number shrank to 17. And this year, there will be zero (yes, zero) G-rated films.
So what happened to the Motion Picture Association’s most kid-friendly rating? The beginning of the end came in 2004 when Pixar released its first-ever PG film, The Incredibles. The movie was a box office juggernaut, grossing $632M. And it proved that family films didn’t need a G rating to be successful.
Three other drivers have also hastened the rating’s demise.
Fear of Backlash: Studios are increasingly wary of parents who are offended by a movie's content. Switching to the PG rating gives studios more protection.
Enjoyment: Family members of all ages are increasingly watching movies together. And PG films allow more mature subtext, which is enjoyable for older viewers. (See “G-Rated Movies Are Harder to Find.”)
Theater Attendance: The movie industry is looking for films that will bring large audiences back to theaters. But family movies have been the slowest to recover since the pandemic. For now, G films aren’t reliable money-makers.
All in all, don’t expect the return of the G-rated movie anytime soon.
Did You Know?
Do You Fear AI? Ever since the release of ChatGPT, AI has been the latest buzzword. But according to a recent Gallup survey, Americans have largely negative opinions on artificial intelligence. 79% don’t trust businesses to use AI responsibly. 40% think AI does more harm than good, while only 10% say the opposite. And 75% believe it will reduce the number of American jobs. This pessimism about jobs is most pronounced among those aged 60+ (80%) and those without a college degree (80%). The only task Americans think AI can do better than humans is to customize the content they see online (38% vs. 30%).