Consider the visual effects (VFX) pipeline. A modern sci-fi production involves thousands of artists spread across the globe, rendering worlds that exist only in servers. The studio’s role has shifted from physical set-building to data management. Furthermore, "production" now encompasses "post-theatrical" life—merchandising, theme park attractions, and video game spin-offs. The product is no longer the movie; the movie is the advertisement for the brand.

highlighted that while studios like Disney and Universal are financially "popular," their labor practices are under intense scrutiny. The next generation of popular studios may be union-friendly or AI-integrated—or perhaps both.