I'm not high on concept, I'm high on life!

Some blasts from the past:
[nq:1]Some films are plot-driven. Some films are character-driven. a high-concept film is premise-driven. By which I mean, once you know ... and anyone can see at a once how the story is going to develop because the premise informs every scene.[/nq]
it's premise-driven.
The reason a high-concept idea is the easiest sale is a studio can see it working right now with any of a dozen different directors and a dozen different actors, but they know if they sit on it for 5 years it's probably going to still work with whoever's hot then. That's a world of difference from buying a "physical comedy" that requires a nutcase like Jim Carrey to execute. Where's the guarantee that we'll have another Jim Carrey in 5 years if the project languishes?
I first heard of "High Concept" back in the days when stuff like "The 1 Minute Manager" was in vogue. I once worked with a guy who said "If you can't write your idea on the back of your business card, it's not a clear idea." Not an altogether worthless approach to an endeavor, but it has its limitations. "Here's my card. Put the Sistine Chapel on the back of it."
Anyway, "High Concept" sort of became synonymous with the "X meets Y" school of film development. As in, I dunno, "'Alien' = 'Jaws' meets 'Star Wars'"? Or, "Easy Rider" = "Wizard of Oz" on acid.
Or something like that.
High Concept...
Forgotten the name of the guy, but he specializes in High Concept pitches and does the rounds of conferences trying to get all the wannabes sending him one line ideas. Essentially, he said, he was selling HOPE!
His theory was that all scripts sucked because, a) they really did suck, or b) nobody had time to read them properly So on Monday morning he went in and pitched "Wouldn't it be a great idea if... Alien's Versed the Predator or whatever. If he had twenty or so catchy jingles one might light up the producers eyes and start the process moving. And of course, once money starts moving on a project, momentum begins to click in.
I've been thinking about what "High Concept" means these days. Seems like the term is no longer in vogue; but not the, uhm, concept.
The above snippets were from the a circa 2000 thread on the original mis-writing-screenplays (with tangents that included d.c. harris abandoned "Friendship Week" about five days early, Brick being Brick, and Skip reciting his résumé in the midst of Tourette-ish spewing.
So what's "high concept" these days?
Are they all established franchises (comics, old TV, sequels and remakes?) now?
Joe Myers
"Sorry to wonder on-topic."