Techno stuff shuts down the action See what gets blown up in 'Live Free' But the fourth installment of the franchise, which opens Wednesday, comes at a time when audiences are yawning at things that go boom. And this summer hasn't exactly been kind to spectacle. So how do you revive a franchise that's been dormant for 12 years and rides on the shoulders of an action hero who qualifies for AARP?
For one, make it a family film. This will be the first that tones down the violence and language to avoid an R rating in favor of a more teen-friendly PG-13. "The times have changed since the first movie" in 1988, says Chris Aronson of 20th Century Fox, which will distribute the film.
"If you're going to survive in a marketplace this competitive, it helps if you can market to every segment of the audience." But a staple of has always been the series' preposterous action. And families can get detonation fatigue, even with A-list stars setting the charges.
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