I was thinking about this in relation to the Thing. The popular "pop" explanation is that the Thing is an allegory for communism and the paranoia at the height of the Cold War. Everyone you know could be gasp a commie in disguise! And of course, the parallels with McCarthyism are pretty clear. However, I think you can make an alternate reading, where the alien represents the process of capital accumulation, and the subtext then becomes about how quickly capitalism can destroy all social bonds and will warp anything that came before into something potentially monstrous in its ever present need to consume and grow (RIP the dogs).
Are there any movies you like that have very common readings you disagree with (or very hot takes on a movie explanation)?
I think it’s more related to risk mitigation. Movies are now almost purely an investment vehicle, and any artistic merit they once represented is long gone. Capitalists aren’t going to invest money in something they’re uncertain of, which is why reboots, sequels, superhero films, and predictably profitable films take precedence in studio investment over anything that takes artistic risks.
I think it was Matt Damon or something who said that once the home video/DVD market was gone, studios NEVER wanted to invest in weird, kooky movies again, because if they didn't make their money at the box office.