You can’t critisize them, only if you solely view films as products to be sold and judged on profitability. It is ironic though coming from someone who, 2 sentences later says:

“Part of our strategy is to try to balance our output with more sequels. It’s hard. Everybody says, ‘Why don’t they do more original stuff?’ And then when we do, people don’t see it because they’re not familiar with it,” he said. “With sequels, people think, ‘Oh, I’ve seen that. I know that I like it.’ Sequels are very valuable that way.”

as if regurgitation of ideas just for familiarity’s sake is any better.