Hollywood is all but sitting out America’s 250th birthday. Maybe it has other plans?
There was a time when Tinseltown was all red, white and blue. Not too long ago, in fact.
The “Five Came Back” docu-series in 2017, for example, recalled A-list directors who dropped their careers to film World War II from the front lines.
Hollywood used to be patriotic, with projects like “Five Came Back,” a documentary about A-list directors who dropped their careers to film World War II from the front lines. ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
The stars also aligned in a very big way following the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 in The Concert for New York City. Everyone from rock royalty to A-list directors (Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen) honored the Big Apple following the terrorist assault.
Movies like “Saving Private Ryan,” “Independence Day” and “Miracle” delivered lump-in-your-throat cinema saluting the red, white and blue.
When was the last time such a project hit your local cineplex? The closest example may be “Top Gun: Maverick,” but the 2023 smash didn’t inspire a wave of pro-American films.
Narrative pro-American films like “Saving Private Ryan” (starring Tom Hanks) were commercial and critical hits. ©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection
One thing is clear. We won’t see much patriotism on screen between now and July 4.
Hollywood isn’t in the patriotism business these days, something industry veteran Peter Bart admitted in 2022. Studios care more about climate change, income inequality, open borders and, time permitting, taking down a certain real estate mogul.
Movies and TV shows take months, often years, from idea to the finished product. A look at the release calendar shows precisely one film brimming with patriotic fervor: “Young Washington.”
It’s the origin story of America’s first president, showcasing his ability to negotiate, build alliances and fight during the country’s formative years. The film features some familiar faces, including Andy Serkis, Kelsey Grammer, and Mary-Louise Parker as Mary Washington, but it’s hardly an A-list affair.
The ironic part is that the biopic comes from Angel Studios, an upstart shingle that exists outside the Hollywood ecosystem. Think Provo, Utah.
“Independence Day,” with Will Smith (left) and Jeff Goldblum, was a major blockbuster. 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merch
The fact that it took such a studio to drop an all-American film before the Fourth of July says something, too.
Another indie project with red, white and blue DNA is “Revolutionary America.” The documentary, debuting in theaters May 31 via Fathom Entertainment, finds Tom Selleck narrating “the greatest political achievement in history.” The documentary hails from the transparently conservative Hillsdale College, not Paramount, Netflix or HBO Max.
Perhaps Hollywood finds it hard to pitch a pro-American project when Donald Trump is calling the White House home.
The indie doc “Revolutionary America” is one of the very few patriotic projects in the pipeline as America prepares to celebrates its 250th.
When Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr asked broadcasters earlier this year to consider a “Pledge America” campaign that would include “patriotic, pro-America” programming, the request may have backfired.
Even comic actor Adam Scott recently said that his signature show, “Parks and Recreation,” wouldn’t have landed the same way had it debuted in 2026. America “may have lost what was left of its innocence in 2015, when Donald Trump stepped up and stepped into politics,” according to Scott.
There’s a good chance he speaks for many Hollywood elites.
Outlier Disney is offering up some patriotic programming. Disney
Meanwhile, President Trump is planning something special to honor the country’s birth. Ever the showman, President Trump coordinated a UFC Freedom 250 event to take place June 14 at the White House.
To be fair, the small screen will offer a dash of patriotism, courtesy of Team Disney.
The mega-company is rallying its platforms, including ABC, Hulu, ESPN and FX, for a series of specials on the Fourth. “Disney Celebrates America” will “spotlight the wonder, achievements and dreams that define the American spirit.”
How refreshing. How rare. How necessary.
Hollywood’s patriotism gap is so profound that an upstart studio vowed to address the matter last year. Founders Films seeks stories that “say yes to American exceptionalism.” Too bad the fledgling studio hasn’t made any product as of yet.
China views patriotic movies in a different light, seeing film as an unofficial part of its soft power cudgel. Scripts are designed to flatter the Middle Kingdom. Good luck arguing anything different.
We don’t want that draconian approach, but the occasional film or show that celebrates America wouldn’t be out of line. And what better time than the country’s 250-year celebration?
Better luck on our 300th birthday.
Christian Toto is the founder of HollywoodInToto.com and the host of the “Hollywood in Toto” podcast.
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