Die already, James Bond

Editor’s Note: Lewis Beale writes about culture and film for the Los Angeles Times, Newsday and other publications. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

If there’s a feeling of déjà vu surrounding “Spectre,” the new James Bond film, that’s because it’s treading on familiar ground:

007 goes after a bad guy heading up some sort of conspiracy that’s international in scope; he beds some hotties along the way, tangles with his superiors – M in particular – and manages to travel to exotic locations, engage in at least one major fistfight, a car chase, maybe fall out of an airplane, and blow up a few buildings along the way.

Lewis Beale

Yawn. How many times have we seen this before?

Listen, it’s not that sticking to formula is anything new in Hollywood these days. Just think of all those “Spiderman,” “X-Men,” “Batman,” “Superman,” “Fast and Furious,” “Hunger Games,” etc., etc., films. And let’s not forget the new “Star Wars” flick, “The Force Awakens,” opening December 18, which is not only the seventh film in the franchise, but also so eagerly awaited that some pundits are predicting it will gross over $600 million globally on its opening weekend.

This just in: the “Star Wars” film will feature Imperial stormtroopers, light sabers, droids, references to the Force, desert planets and fighter jets.

Here’s where you ask: “Have the studios given up on original content? And if they have, why?”

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Universal Pictures

The trailer for "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" already has fans anxiously awaiting the sequel with Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep. It's set to dance into theaters in July.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Universal Pictures

"Pitch Perfect 3" hits theaters Friday and continues the story of everyone's favorite girl a cappella group.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Universal Pictures

"Fifty Shades Freed" is the final in the trilogy of the erotic franchise which started with 2015's "Fifty Shades of Grey" film. Based on the E. L. James, novels, they follow the relationship between mogul Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele. It's scheduled to drop in February 2018.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Universal Pictures

"Star Wars" actor John Boyega stars in "Pacific Rim: Uprising," the follow up to Guillermo del Toro's hit sci-fi film. It comes to theaters in February 2018.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

20th Century Fox

You need to be following star Ryan Reynolds on Twitter because he's been dropping info there about "Deadpool 2" which hits theaters June 1, 2018.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Disney/Pixar

It isn't often that another sequel is celebrated, but a fourth installment of "Toy Story"? We're in. It's scheduled to release in June 2018.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

20th Century Fox

"X-Men: Dark Phoenix" will take up where 2016's "X-Men: Apocalypse" left off when it arrives in theaters in November 2018.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

From Twentieth Century Fox

It's been a while, but James Cameron is finally making a return to Pandora in December 2018 with "Avatar 2." The followup to the 2009 blockbuster will be followed by more sequels in 2020, 2022 and 2023. "It's going to be a true epic saga," Cameron said. Here's a look at some other high-profile upcoming releases that continue popular movie franchises.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

20th Century Fox

The penguins from Dreamworks' "Madagascar" films have turned into breakout stars. The scheming seabirds had a movie all of their own called "Penguins of Madagascar." In 2018, we'll also get a fourth installment of the "Madagascar" series.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Universal Pictures

Audiences were somewhat divided on M. Night Shyamalan's psychological horror film "Split" in 2016 and they'll get a chance to either love or hate the continuation of the story when "Glass" arrives in January 2019.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

A new and improved Godzilla stormed into theaters in May 2014, and in March 2019, we'll get a second look at the fearsome monster in "Godzilla: King of the Monsters." That's just the beginning, though, with "Godzilla vs. King Kong" in May 2020.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Dreamworks Animation

The third "How to Train Your Dragon" animated movie is due out in March 2019.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Paramount Pictures

Brad Pitt tool on a different kind of role in the 2013 sci-fi thriller "World War Z" and is set to reprise it in "World War Z 2" due in 2019.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Walt Disney/Marvel

Marvel already has two more "Avengers" movies on the calendar: "Avengers: Infinity War Part I" opens May 2018, followed by "Avengers: Infinity War Part 2" in May 2019.

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Disney/Pixar

Fans will have to wait till June 2019 for "The Incredibles 2." "Anytime you dedicate another couple of hours of screen time, you'll hopefully expand the world (of 'The Incredibles') a bit," said director Brad Bird. "It's fun for me to pick up the same characters and do new things with them. I'm enjoying it."

Photos: Sequel mania: A guide to the next few years of film

Paramount Pictures

The last time we saw Eddie Murphy as Detective Axel Foley, it was in 1994's "Beverly Hills Cop III." But the passage of time is nothing to a movie studio eager to bet on a proven franchise; "Beverly Hills Cop 4," again starring Murphy as Foley, is in the works.

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The answers to those questions are: (a) pretty much, and (b) three words: global box office. In addition to the films already in the pipeline, there are over 90 remakes and reboots in the works, which means Hollywood is always looking for material it can remake and resell.

And this obsession with the familiar has a lot to do with filmgoers in Guadalajara, Guangzhou and Gdansk, whose tastes now determine what films get made. That’s because foreign box office for major movies like the Bond film now accounts for more than 70% of total revenue. And what those folks out there seem to like are big budget American franchise flicks filled with CGI effects, tried and true plotlines, plenty of action sequences and not a whole heck of a lot of dialogue (which the studios like, because they don’t have to spend a bunch of money on dubbing or subtitles).

Check out a few recent figures: “Jurassic World”, which grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide, earned 60% of that amount overseas. “Furious 7” took in 76% of its $1.5 billion global gross outside the United States. “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” 67%; “Minions,” 71%; the two recent Hobbit films, 73% each.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Angelo Carconi/AP

Cool cars have, of course, always been a big part of the super spy's image. Here's our pick of the best cars featured in the franchise.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Eon Productions

Bentley Mark IV -- "From Russia With Love," 1963 —

Ian Fleming was a vintage Bentley owner and made it 007's car of choice in the original Bond books. His c.1936 beauty in From Russia With Love was equipped with a radio telephone.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

RM Auctions

Aston Martin DB5 -- "Goldfinger," 1964 —

This Bond car was fitted with machine guns, an ejector seat and a host of other Q Branch gadgets. It made a triumphant return in Skyfall and sold for $4.6 million in 2010.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Rallyhaus

Toyota 2000GT -- "You Only Live Twice," 1967 —

One of the coolest Bond cars ever, the rare Japanese exotic was specially modified to accommodate the lanky Sean Connery -- the roof was removed.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Bonhams

Aston Martin DBS -- "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," 1969 —

Of all Bond's Astons, this is our favorite -- simply stunning. George Lazenby drove it in his single, and vastly underrated, appearance as 007.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

RK Motors Charlotte

Ford Mustang Mach 1 -- "Diamonds Are Forever," 1971 —

The only American car in Bond's stable, it actually belongs to Bond girl Tiffany Case in Diamonds Are Forever.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy Eon Productions

Lotus Esprit -- "The Spy Who Loved Me," 1977 —

With the amphibious Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me, Bond production designers created the only car to truly rival the DB5 for icon status. Elon Musk paid $860,000 for one of them in 2013.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy Autojumble

Citroen 2CV -- "For Your Eyes Only," 1981 —

Not the sexiest car in Bond's stable by any means, the "tin snail" is also the slowest. However, it made for one of the more memorable chase scenes in the series.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy ESPN

Lotus Esprit Turbo -- "For Your Eyes Only," 1981 —

Eschewing the Citroen, Bond breaks out another awesome Lotus on the ski slopes of Cortina. Unfortunately he finds a dead body inside.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy Cool Cars

Alfa Romeo GTV6 -- "Octopussy," 1983 —

The only Italian car on the list, Bond steals it from a woman in a phone booth for a high speed chase in Germany. A very affordable classic these days for anyone looking for a little 007 action.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy Eon Productions

Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante -- "The Living Daylights," 1987 —

Bond's return to Aston Martin in 1987 saw Timothy Dalton take the wheel of a gadget-laden V8 Volante. Another underrated favorite of ours.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy Motor Trend

BMW 750iL -- "Tomorrow Never Dies," 1997 —

Bond's brief flirtation with BMW began in the late 90's and didn't last terribly long. Pierce Brosnan uses a cell phone to drive the high-tech 750iL -- off a roof, alas.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy Kinja

BMW Z8 -- "The World Is Not Enough," 1999 —

Brosnan-as-Bond is forever linked to BMW, giving him a sort of yuppie-ish air. That and his Italian suits from Brioni.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy Eon Productions

Aston Martin Vanquish -- "Die Another Day," 2002 —

Die Another Day saw in the modern Aston Martin era, and the Vanquish did not disappoint, with bulletproof bodywork, heat-seeking missiles and more.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Courtesy Eon Productions

Land Rover Defender - "Skyfall," 2012 —

Driven by Miss Moneypenny, with Bond riding shotgun, so to speak, the Defender qualifies for the list thanks to its cult-like status. Too bad Land Rover is discontinuing it.

Photos: 007's legendary rides

Eon Productions

Aston Martin DB10 - "Spectre, 2015" —

The DB10 represents the future of Aston Martin's road cars, and we're only too glad to have 007 test it out for us. On screen, it more than holds its own against Bond's other rides. Well done, James.

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There are several reasons for this. Ticket sales in the United States continue to decline, with many Americans saying they’d rather watch films at home than in a theater, while international box office keeps expanding. And that global business is driven by the Asian market, where the number of theater screens increased by 15% last year and Chinese box office numbers jumped by a whopping 34% in 2014.

In this kind of marketplace, can you blame the studios for wanting to go where the big bucks are? In some cases, the films are made to appeal directly to the foreign market, primarily to attract the major yuan coming out of China. “Iron Man 3,” for example, had scenes added just for the Chinese filmgoer. And you can be certain the space agency cooperation between China and the United States in the current box office hit “The Martian” hasn’t hurt its ticket sales in Shanghai (57% of the film’s gross has come from overseas).

The downside of all this, of course, is that critically acclaimed smaller films, or more adult dramas, have a harder time getting screen time, which means they struggle to gain traction at the box office. When a single film like “Spectre” opens in roughly 3,500 theaters, representing about 10% of all U.S. screens, that tends to crowd a lot of other movies out of the picture.

And there’s this. “Spectre,” which cost $250 million to make – it’s one of the most expensive films ever – needs to gross around $650 million just to break even.

Which means it better do boffo business overseas. This is Hollywood’s new normal. Get used to it.

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