Roger Ebert marks it:
According to Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo, who ran his own numbers, 2011 will see a record 27 sequels. … As the leadership of many studios is taken from creators and assigned to marketers, nothing is harder to get financed than an original idea, or easier than a retread. The urge to repeat success can be found even in the content of modern trailers, which often seem to be about the same upbeat film. Even The Beaver, with Mel Gibson battling mental illness, is made to look like a hopeful comedy with a cute stuffed animal.
The Dish 