The cultural landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years: creators are the new stars, and YouTube has become the new television. But how did we get here, and what sparked this seismic change? Surprisingly, the answer traces back to a single film — Twilight.
In Hollywood’s golden age, movie stars were untouchable icons, almost godlike in their allure. Their names were the studios’ biggest assets, drawing audiences with sheer charisma.
As their fame grew, these stars gained leverage over producers, securing more creative control, influence on set, and higher paychecks. They were the heart of the industry — until Twilight and the Marvel Cinematic Universe rewrote the rules.
The unexpected success of Twilight and Marvel’s blockbuster franchises revealed a more profitable model: betting on intellectual property (IP) rather than individual actors.
A character like Spider-Man can be rebooted endlessly with new faces, and audiences won’t bat an eye. Why? Because the logo, the IP, is the real draw.
As long as the cast does their job and brings a decent social media following, their individual star power matters less. From an economic perspective, this is a dream scenario. IP doesn’t demand special contracts, doesn’t get sick, doesn’t age, and doesn’t push for creative freedom. It can be controlled, cloned, and rebooted at will. It can be broken down into data-driven components and reassembled to meet metrics.
Step by step, the classic movie star has been edged out of the spotlight. They’re still present, but no longer as the central figure—more as a functional tool to hold audience attention. Hollywood knows this shift all too well.
Seth Rogen even poked fun at the industry’s obsession with adapting every piece of IP in his new series The Studio, highlighting the absurdity of prioritizing franchises over talent.
Streaming platforms have only accelerated this trend. Modern series are often written for retention, designed to be watched in the background rather than to deeply resonate. The focus is on what works, not what moves.
This formulaic approach has created a void — one that creators have eagerly filled. Unlike the polished, untouchable stars of old, creators are raw and relatable (with exceptions like analytics-driven giants such as MrBeast). Their greatest asset is the same charisma that once packed movie theaters, but delivered in a more personal, authentic way.
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In this new era, culture has simply found a fresh way to generate recognition. The rise of YouTube and its creators marks a return to personality-driven storytelling, proving that while Hollywood may have sidelined the traditional star, the human connection they once embodied is still what audiences crave — just on a different screen.
