Introduction: Star Power from Hollywood to East Asia

Abstract

The continued importance of stardom in relation to Hollywood cinema has become something of a discussion point in recent years, with a number of those commenting upon the US film industry noting a historically significant shift away from the traditional dominance of star power. Central to this has been the growing importance of technological spectacle in the marketing of recent Hollywood blockbusters such as Transformers (Michael Bay, 2007) and Avatar (James Cameron, 2009). Perhaps the biggest indicator of this new dependence on spectacle rather than star power can be found in the advances made by 3D technology into the global marketplace and its importance in the ‘package’ offered to audiences by many new films. In addition to this, some commentators on the American film industry have argued that the name of a well-known director, such as Michael Bay or James Cameron, with a reputation for marshalling new technologies has become more significant to Hollywood blockbusters than the stars attached to them. Perhaps the most cited example of this developing trend is Avatar. These changes in the US film industry led Mike Goodridge, then editor of Screen International to ask, ‘Are movie stars losing their power in the film business?’ (2010, n.p.). This question had occurred to Goodridge following a visit to the American Film Market, where he argued he saw a distinct move away from a commitment to high-earning stars in favour of high-concept films that utilized new technologies and which had acclaimed directors at the helm.