Hollywood filmmakers have been accused of running out of original ideas, leaving them to rely on reboots and remakes of successful franchises that have established fanbases.
Screenrant.com released a list at the end of 2015 of 10 classic films that are set to be remade, including “Back to the Future” and “The Breakfast Club,” showcasing the growing industry for rebooting a film or series.
When Disney purchased the rights to “Star Wars” from George Lucas, it was quickly announced that a seventh movie would be made. Director J.J. Abrams was hired on after his work with “Star Trek,” where he managed to both please an existing fanbase and also give way to a new generation of “Star Trek” fans with the first movie. Despite the disappointed fan reviews of “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” Abrams helped “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” break more than 50 box office records, including the worldwide record for biggest opening weekend.
“I think there’s going to be two separate audiences,” said Kristina Varvais, junior pre-nursing major. “One (audience) grew up with the originals, and I know that they’re probably going to have some hard feelings toward the new movie because they want to see the same characters. Someone like me, I had not grown up with the originals so I saw a couple of the old ones and then saw the new one and loved it.”
“Star Wars” appeased dedicated fans of the original series and ushered in a new generation with fresh-faced characters for whom they could cheer. Disney made the franchise more accessible to the growing fanbase by minimizing the canon universe, rendering more than 100 “Star Wars” books out of the story-line in favor of 15 novels, 11 comics and several television or movie specials.
“Some things don’t need to be rebooted,” said Kameron Farmer, junior health science major. “I think some things are good left as the original, but there are some things that could be remade. ‘Ghostbusters’ for instance, I think it will definitely have an interesting new feel because it will be a cast of women.”
A recent formula that has worked for production companies is the revamping of superhero stories, giving them darker, edgier plots.
The “Spiderman” series has seen several variations — first with director Sam Raimi’s remake of the series. “The Amazing Spiderman,” is now being rebooted once more to fit within the Marvel cinematic universe.
“It’s the same story over and over again,” said Karina Meza, freshman pre-nursing major. “Everybody knows what’s going to happen in the end and it’s just repeating itself. They’re just adding more detail and probably switching it up a bit, but it’s just the same old, same old.”
