On this Fourth of July, as fireworks light up the sky and families gather in celebration, there’s something missing from our screens—and no, it’s not just Will Smith punching aliens.
It’s patriotism.
Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed in Rocky IV (1984), MGM
Hollywood once had a proud tradition of embracing American values in its storytelling. Films like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Rocky IV, Top Gun, and Independence Day didn’t just entertain—they inspired. They were love letters to freedom, grit, sacrifice, and the underdog spirit that defines this country. But somewhere along the line, the film industry decided that waving the American flag on-screen was passé… or worse, problematic.
Today’s big-budget movies are increasingly globalized, sanitized, and hesitant to celebrate anything that might resemble national pride. Instead of heroes fighting for liberty, we get cynical deconstructions, fractured legacies, and moral relativism.
Even Superman (more accurately, James Gunn…) refuses to endorse The American Way.
Superman wounded in the snow in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
Today, the very values that built this nation—courage, honor, faith, family—are often replaced with lectures, identity boxes, and narratives steeped in shame. And let’s be honest: a lot of audiences are checking out.
Yet here’s the twist: audiences still love patriotic movies. In fact, they’re craving them.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Look no further than Top Gun: Maverick. Released in 2022, it was unapologetically pro-America, showcasing aviators, classic heroism, and good old-fashioned courage. It earned nearly $1.5 billion globally, including over $700 million domestically. It wasn’t just a box office hit—it was a cultural juggernaut, proving that audiences still show up when the red, white, and blue flies proudly on the screen.
Or consider American Sniper (2014), which pulled in $547 million worldwide, including $350 million in the U.S. alone. That’s more than most Marvel movies the last few years. It wasn’t subtle. It didn’t apologize. And people loved it.
Even Chris Pratt’s The Terminal List, a gritty patriotic series rejected by critics, found massive success on Amazon Prime. Why? Because it honored service, brotherhood, and personal sacrifice—values the mainstream often forgets but regular people still live by.
There’s a reason these stories resonate. At their core, they reflect something eternal about the American spirit. This country wasn’t forged by cynics—it was built by people who believed in something bigger than themselves. Great stories, whether they’re set in space or on a battlefield, tap into that. And for decades, Hollywood understood this. Movies didn’t have to wave a flag in every shot—but they respected the audience’s love of country. That mutual respect is now fading.
Instead, studios seem more interested in tearing down icons than building them up. Superman no longer fights for “truth, justice, and the American way.” Captain America lectures instead of leads. And more often than not, American institutions are portrayed as the villains of the story.
Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America in Marvel Studios‘ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2024 MARVEL.
But audiences aren’t buying it. Literally.
Time and again, the box office tells the same story. Patriotic and value-driven content performs when it’s made earnestly and without apology. People are tired of being talked down to. They want to be lifted up. They want to see the best of America reflected on screen, not just its flaws.
On this Independence Day, maybe it’s time for Hollywood to remember who it’s actually making movies for. The quiet veteran who still stands for the anthem. The single mom working two jobs who wants her kids to be proud of where they’re from. The teenager dreaming big in a small town. These are the people who built the box office. And these are the people whose stories deserve to be told.
Hollywood doesn’t need fewer Americana films—it needs more.
Chris Evans as Captain America in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Marvel Studios
Because patriotism isn’t a punchline. It’s a virtue. And great films should reflect that.
Happy Fourth of July from all of us at That Park Place, and God Bless America.
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