7 Oscar Best Picture Winning Films That Likely Wouldn't Be Produced Today

      Here are seven Oscar-winning Best Picture films that would likely not be produced in today's cinematic landscape.

      If you believe that Hollywood will become less sensitive in response to Donald Trump’s possible second term, you might not recall the societal shifts during his first term.

      Let’s dive in.

      Before We Begin, Some Clarifications

      Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

      We aren’t here to lament “cancel culture” or “wokeness,” nor to judge past works by current standards. We view films as snapshots of their times and enjoy exploring how narratives are perceived differently across eras.

      Many Best Picture winners could not be made today due to their directors being viewed as controversial; however, those films are not included here. We also won't mention exceptional films like Casablanca that feature elements that could easily be overlooked without compromising the story's message.

      This list concentrates on movies with plot details so problematic that cautious studio executives would hesitate to greenlight them. The integral nature of these plot elements is such that removing them would alter the films entirely.

      Now, here are seven movies that, despite winning Best Picture, would not be produced today in the current Hollywood environment.

      Gigi (1958)

      MGM – Credit: C/O

      In a contemporary society wary of grooming, the premise of Gigi—a film about a 16-year-old being groomed to be a courtesan—would face swift rejection. Its central song, “Thank Heaven for Little Girls,” is unlikely to gain approval from a major studio today.

      Though set in the early 20th Century, when such conduct wasn’t shocking and released in the 1950s when teenage marriages were more conventional, it wouldn’t fly today.

      Gigi, which won Best Picture and eight other Oscars—holding the record for a clean sweep of nominations for many years—easily tops the list of films that would not be made in today's Hollywood.

      Crash (2004)

      Lions Gate Films – Credit: C/O

      Films that age poorly often do so when they pat themselves on the back for overtly progressive messages that quickly seem trite—especially as societal norms evolve. The most eye-rolling among these are films emphasizing that “racism is bad,” which is a lesson everyone should have absorbed as children.

      Modern critics have been particularly harsh on Crash, with outlets like the AV Club and Film Comment labeling it the worst Best Picture winner, while IndieWire ranked it at the bottom of the century’s Best Picture list.

      More on Crash

      Lions Gate Films – Credit: C/O

      Why do contemporary critics criticize Crash? The main grievance seems to revolve around a clumsily executed redemption arc in which a white police officer (Matt Dillon) saves a Black woman (Thandiwe Newton) he previously assaulted. This is just one of many glaring issues in the film filled with unrealistic twists.

      Cautious executives today would understand that critics—both professional and on social media—would be quick to attack a film like Crash, jeopardizing its chances for awards recognition.

      Another Note

      Leslie Caron in Gigi. MGM – Credit: C/O

      It’s also worth noting that, technically, any of these films could be made today by a few friends with a smartphone. However, they wouldn’t be the same without the backing of a major studio.

      Now, back to our list.

      Gone With the Wind (1939)

      Loew’s Inc. – Credit: C/O

      Even if one overlooks the broad, stereotypical portrayal of Black characters in Gone With the Wind (which, for some, comes off like a poorly animated caricature), the film's nearly four-hour runtime revolves around the misfortunes of Scarlett O’Hara, a character who sees other people as property.

      There’s simply no way to present her as sympathetic to modern viewers. Yes, she faces consequences in the end.

      But those are four long hours spent with such an unappealing character.

      One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

      United Artists – Credit: C/O

      Many elements of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest have aged well, especially its anti-authoritarian message.

      However, a key aspect of the film that wouldn’t be accepted in the post #MeToo era is the character of Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), who is the statutory rapist of a 15-year-old girl. (He feigns insanity, believing it will make serving his sentence in a mental hospital easier.)

      When considering McMurphy's egregious lack of judgment regarding sexual boundaries, it adds an unsettling complexity to the fact that Nurse Ratched, the film's antagonist, is a strong woman.

      It’s notable that when Hollywood revisited this narrative a few years ago with the Netflix series Ratched, she was depicted as the protagonist (or at least an antihero) rather than the villain.

      Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

      Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

      In