As everyone has pointed out the movie has similarities to a FF movie and Aliens. For me it's not the end of the world, I like Aliens and the it's gritty mood(I also know Aliens copied Them!, but dosen't change my question really, since the same goes for them).
But if you spend $50-$100m why can't they come up with a more unique script? It can't be THAT hard?
Can you think of a movie that you can say is 100% original?
As everyone has pointed out the movie has similarities to a FF movie and Aliens.
It's not that they CAN'T come up with something more original, it's that they often WON'T risk tens of millions of dollarsworth of investment on something untested. Hollywood is a business and that business isn't to entertain you with original stories... it's to take your money.
shareSame reason Apple comes out with 7 versions of iPhone that are barely different from the version before it. It's a business to make money, as soon as the iPhone sales lag they will create something new.
When remakes and squeals stop making money they will push more innovative things. It's also risky, as Pixanaut says. That's a lot of money to risk on an unknown, original idea. One would say Cloud Atlas was original, but they lost a lot of money on it.