Analyst Stephen Follows reported a nearly 40% decrease in the number of sex scenes in Hollywood movies since 2000. His research, which examined 250 of the highest-grossing films released over 23 years, revealed that the proportion of movies without bed scenes increased from 18% to 46% during this period. The decline in intimate scenes was most pronounced in action movies, dropping by 70%, with thrillers ranking second in terms of decline. Romantic movies were the least affected by this trend. However, the number of scenes featuring profanity, drugs, and violence has remained relatively stable since 2000.
Follows outlined several potential reasons for the decrease in intimate scenes:
- Changes in modern audience preferences.
- Distributors aiming to lower age ratings to reach broader audiences.
- Increased availability of "adult" content.
- Changing cultural norms leading movie producers to exercise caution with sexual content.
- Rejection of stereotypes, such as the necessity of sex scenes in action movies.
- The emergence of the role of intimacy coordinators.
- The growing popularity of streaming services and the resulting increase in overall content.
