Writers have been documenting the incredible shrinking movie star for decades. Google “the last movie star,” and not only will you find serious musings about George Clooney, Will Smith, and Tom Cruise, but thoughtful ones about Elizabeth Taylor. Hyperbole about imminent extinction aside, movie stars have shrunk as the films have grown bigger and louder. Just look at the box-office results from last year. Thirteen of the top 15 films were sequels, franchise starters, or animated films that don’t always require or even want stars. So far this year, The Hunger Games has proven once again that you don’t need a huge international star like Smith, Cruise, or Brad Pitt to mint box-office millions, and The Avengers cruised past a billion dollars with stars predominantly of Marvel’s own creation. Meanwhile, Johnny Depp, one of the other famous faces currently chiseled in Hollywood’s hypothetical Mt. Rushmore, learned that makeup, eccentricity, and Tim Burton do not always connect, as Dark Shadows opened poorly and is limping home. It all begs the question: Are movie stars still essential? And as the current class of elite stars inches towards 50, who is poised to save the planet and catch the bad guy while kissing the girl?
