Yes, the rumors are true. Over the past few years, there have been a slew of popular movies featuring explicit scenes, such as “Poor Things,” “Challengers,” “Saltburn,” “Anora” and so many more. Based on the popularity and critical acclaim of these movies, one thing can be said with absolute certainty: Hollywood is finally sexy again.
THE CHASTE ERA
It’s no secret that for the past 20 years, movies have had a lack of sexually driven content. A 2019 study from Playboy found that between 2010 and 2020, only one in every 100 movies included an overt sex scene; less than any decade since the ’60s.
Some are calling it the “Marvelization” of cinema, which is referring to the immense popularity of the Marvel franchise in the 2010s, a film franchise that lacks an ounce of sexual content. The popularity of Marvel, along with Hollywood’s push for more PG-13 rated movies, has influenced other film genres to ditch their sex subplots in favor of more toned-down, family-friendly themes.
Even before Marvel blew up in popularity, there was a push for less sexual themes in film. In the 2000s, film companies began to focus on PG-13 franchises and animation, since these genres could reach a global audience and therefore make more money at the box office and sell more merchandise.
Studios began to prioritize movies that were marketed to a more generalized audience, which could include anyone from children to adults, resulting in content that was attention grabbing but repetitive and lacked any meaningful commentary.
A major influence for more family-friendly films was Hollywood’s dependence on foreign markets. In the late 2000s and throughout the 2010s, we saw the introduction and boom of streaming services. Having a streaming service meant that people could watch movies from the comfort of their own homes, and this, along with other factors, led to the obsolescence of DVD sales and dwindling movie theater ticket sales.
Instead, Hollywood sought out foreign markets, specifically China, as a solution. In 2010, seven of the 10 highest-grossing movies in China were made in America. However, as a result of these movies being released in foreign markets, studios had to appease foreign censors, such as the ones in India and China, who are very restrictive on and even outright ban sexually driven content.
SEX IS BACK — AND BETTER THAN BEFORE
Why are movies suddenly sexy again after decades of movies with no sexual-driven content in sight? It could be in part because of the COVID-19 quarantine, which left many people touch starved. Another reason could be that Chinese consumers have become less profitable to Hollywood studios. In 2023, no American movies ranked among the 10 highest-grossing in China.
However, it could just be that the pendulum has swung the other way, that moviegoers are getting bored of action-packed, PG-13 movies and are craving something more intimate. Yalda T. Uhls, the founder and executive director of the UCLA Center for Scholars and Storytellers, told The Ringer that “younger generations are looking for stories that resonate with them.” People want to see female characters outside of the male gaze. They want to see homoeroticism. They want to see complex heroes. They want to see movies that have deeper and richer meanings.
Regardless of the reason, it is clear to see that sex is back in Hollywood, but it’s different this time. It’s not just sex that is back, but eroticism is back as well.
It is important to note that sex and eroticism are different things, but both are important to cinema. They can work together, but one doesn’t require the other. One could argue that the most erotic films as of late have been less action and more suppressed desire like “Challengers” with the churro scene or the final tennis game, and “Babygirl” with the milk-drinking scene at the bar.
These scenes do not feature any sort of sex but are more erotic than most sex scenes. In fact, “Challengers” is described by many as an erotic film despite having no sex scenes.
In recent sexually charged movies, it isn’t the physical sex that has everyone wanting more. It is the eroticism that makes these movies so popular. It’s not just about the physical act of sex, as it is with so many movies of the past, rather it’s more about the tension, the desire and the passion.
Now with that being said, it’s not surprising to see people instinctually associate nudity as exploitation or sex as a way to get people to watch the movie, because in many movies of previous decades, that would be true.
Many movies include sex just to include sex, but sex can be a tool to further the narrative or provide some sort of commentary. In the cases of “Saltburn,” “Poor Things,” “Nosferatu” and “Anora,” it’s symbolic of something larger about society and it’s a tool to characterize the characters and also to move the story forward. In these examples, it’s actually more of a storytelling device than it is an erotic treat for the audience.
All in all, it is clear that sex is finally back in Hollywood, but not like it was before. The filmmakers of the 2020s are unafraid to depict sexual intimacy in a variety of creative and visually captivating ways. They’re transforming sex to reflect desires for a more emotional and authentic intimacy. This era of movies suggests a promising shift towards more inclusive cinema where on-screen intimacy can feel empowering and enlightening for all.