A Little Sex, Please? Hollywood Says No Thank You

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Where did all the big-screen sex scenes go? Why frisky behavior is disappearing from feature films

Sex scenes go missing in Hollywood
Sex scenes have grown scarce in Hollywood films.

Gather ’round, kids, and let’s tell a tale of a time long ago, when movie screens weren’t filled with just superheroes and special effects. A time when parents policed what you were watching for fear of an awkward conversation.

We’re referring, of course, to sex.

From “Basic Instinct” and “Eyes Wide Shut” to “Body Double,” “Risky Business” and “9 ½ Weeks,” on-screen nookie was once a staple of cinema, as much a part of the moviegoing experience as buttered popcorn.

But Hollywood has been strangely celibate for at least the last decade. There are no specific statistics on the declining rate of sex scenes in movies: The closest TheWrap could find was a 2022 report that found R-rated features, where you often found sex scenes, had dipped to a mere 30% share of releases.

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