Lack of Creativity in Culture

I just saw a list of some of the movies that are expected out in 2006. Here's a partial run-down: Superman Returns, Mission Impossible 3, X3, Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, Poseidon, Casino Royale, The Da Vinci Code, Ice Age 2 The Meltdown, World Trade Center, Flight 93, Miami Vice, Charlotte's Web, The Pink Panther, and Basic Instinct 2.

Why is it that the majority of these movies are just sequels and spin-offs of older movies or books? Is it that difficult for something new and creative to succeed these days?

The same thing is happening in the world of music - look at the enormous success of remixes, mashups, re-edits, covers, and songs based on obvious samples of previous pop hits. And I'll be quick to point out that I'm as guilty as the next person, both in some of the tracks that I play when I'm DJ'ing, and in the fact that I'm working on a remix of a popular 80's hit right now.

Where is this going? Is our culture stagnating?