movieDespite recent films such as ‘Saltburn’ and ‘Poor Things’, which contain many daring scenes, spicy scenes are often omitted. Sex on screen has fallen by almost 40% since 2000, according to new research.
From 2000 to 2023, both the total number of spicy scenes on screen and the number of films in which love is made have fallen sharply. This is evident from research by data scientist Stephen Follows for the British magazine ‘The Economist’. Follows compared the amount of sex in the 250 top-grossing films of each year and found a clear trend.
There is less and less skin-to-skin contact in films and sex scenes are becoming more serene. The number of films without sex has even increased enormously, the study shows. The peak was in 2019, when half of the 250 top-grossing films simply had no sex in them. The sharpest decline can be found in action films and thrillers, by as much as 70 percent in 2023 compared to 2000. And even in romantic films there is a small decline, by about 20 percent.
According to researcher Stephen Follows, there are a number of theories that could explain the downward trend. Changes in social norms – with, for example, the ‘MeToo’ movement -, the well-being of actors on set – with intimacy coordinators – and the alleged disinterest of Gen Z. According to American research, the young generation finds explicit sex scenes unnecessary if they have no added value .
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