Franchise reboots get a bad wrap, but maybe it’s time to embrace the fact that they’re here to stay. Where do these projects go right and where do they go wrong?

If you’re a part of the industrialized world, you probably realize just how many remakes of TV shows and movies there are a year. It seems like every project to come out of Hollywood these days is a second-hand idea that dried up years ago. Looking at the new releases on Netflix or the choices on your DVR – you’ll get pretty quickly that it’s all recycled material. That doesn’t automatically make it garbage though. In fact, sometimes a reboot can actually be better than the original! *shock*

Being bitter and cynical about the reboot thing isn’t going to get you very far these days. Of course no one wants to see the reputation of something they love tarnished by a lackluster reinterpretation. So it’s natural to be a little skeptical and defensive when you see something that’s close to your heart being redone. But there really is little point in fighting it anymore. Comedies (The Pink Panther, Land of the Lost, Bewitched, The Three Stooges), horror films (Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Psycho), superheroes (Batman, Spiderman, Superman), dramas (Steel Magnolias, Sabrina), television shows (Hawaii Five-0, Dallas) are all being made anew – nothing is off limits.

So you can belittle and disregard every rewrite you come across, but that is going to eliminate A LOT of different movies and television shows from your future. Plus, the problem with judging a series or film based on its remake status alone is that sometimes you can get it wrong, really wrong. And who wants to look like that tool?

(For all intents and purposes, we’re going to exclude sequels and spinoffs from this discussion. Not only would the catalogue overwhelm us, the problem of milking one specific project is in itself another whole can of worms.)

Getting It Wrong

We’ve all sat through our fair share of crappy remakes. Some worse than others and some that this writer has sworn to never speak of they were so bad. But since tastes in movies and television vary; it’s important to back these opinions up with facts. So let’s start by looking at one of the most gloriously failtastic movies the world has ever bestowed us: the 2006 remake of Poseidon.

Objectively, you can see why movie studios thought that this would be a good film to re-imagine. With the new CGI technologies and advancement in movie making in general, it seemed like a good time to refresh an old classic. A sweet opportunity to break out those new doodads movie makers were so hyped to use. But apparently you can’t buy audiences with impressive CGI alone and just weren’t as convinced. The film that cost a sky rocking $160 million dollars to create only grossed a disappointing 60.6 million domestically – That’s a pretty severe hit and it’s hard to casually explain away to the powers that be.

The comedic reinterpretation of Bewitched didn’t do much better at the box office. Costing an 80 million to create and only bringing in 63 million in the states. We have to bring this movie up for more than just financial reasons though. Because seriously, numbers aside, have you actually SEEN the movie with Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman? (Please say no, please say no, please say no….) Because even if you’re a casual fan of the classic show or you know – pro movies in general – then you should really avoid it. It’ll be sure to turn you off of remakes for a while. It might also make you question humanity and send you into a crippling depression…

Getting It Right

Listen, we’re not going to deny that there are too many bad remakes to count. But there are times when creators really do get things right, and we have to start giving credit where credit is due.

Batman Begins, the first installment of The Dark Knight trilogy, was met with huge critical and commercial success. The film was not only nominated for multiple awards it also brought the entire Batman franchise into the hearts and minds of a whole new generation – which, in short, is why we can’t completely disregard the potential of a good remake. Because, if done correctly you can take the essence of a good story and share it with the world all over again, in new and fresh ways. Besides, what’s childhood if you don’t want to pretend to be Batman or Superman at least ONCE? We can’t rob future generations from this brand new experience just because daddy couldn’t part with the idea of Michael Keaton being the one true Batman.

And yes, of course it’s a financial thing as well. Quite a few people seemed shocked when it was announced that a new Spiderman franchise was starting up so soon after the Toby McGuire version ended. But of course, movie making is a business and in a lot of ways it’s a smart financial move to bet on pre established franchises. But what a lot of studios need to remember is that rebooted projects also come with baggage. You can’t just hook on to a well established project and expect a slam dunk these days.

Surprise Successes

Here’s the problem with franchise reboots – People have lots of opinions about the project before they’ve even seen it. Successful originals have doubters and haters, cult classics have traditionalists, and for the projects that bombed… Well, the audience doesn’t expect much more from the adaptations. The old assumption that if it’s been done before the audience (money) is ripe for the taking has started to backfire and doesn’t always apply. That’s why audiences can get caught off guard by some really good remakes.

It’s hard to imagine the announcement of a 21 Jump Street movie had people jumping up and down with excitement. When the movie first opened, it only did mediocre in terms of financial earnings. But after all that was said and done, the film ended up raising $138.4 domestically ($201.9 worldwide) and became a bit of an underground hit. It wasn’t promotion or franchise backing that earned this movie a moderate amount of success. It was the fact that the studio made a genuinely good, funny movie and people enjoyed it enough to start encouraging their friends to go see it. And this doesn’t just happen with movie adaptations. It’s taking place on the small screen as well.

The television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer was so successful that people sometimes forget the show originated from a film. Joss Whedon was at the head of both creative projects, but as the stories developed, the television show managed to become something so much more than its original concept. It took the essence of the film, and gave it breath and life that few expected the project to have. Something similar is happening on television now.

MTV has managed to capture something special in their original version of Teen Wolf. The film, starring Michael J. Fox, is a lighthearted story about a teenage boy using his newly bestowed werewolf powers to up his popularity status. On the tin it sounds absolutely ridiculous (which it is) but it also has a quirky honesty that has turned it into something of a cult classic.  But rather than try and recreate the very specific feeling found in a lot of teenage underdog 80’s films, the network decided to revamp the series into something more relevant for today’s audiences.

Now, the show isn’t gaining hordes of widespread success, but it is building a very loyal and strong fan base.  The show has managed to consistently hold its 1.8 million viewers – a surprisingly successful accomplishment for the network that hasn’t had the best history with scripted television. And as it enters its third season, MTV invested more faith in program by choosing to order a full 24 episode run, as opposed to its initial 12. In fact, the series has become such a success that MTV has recently announced that they are going to try and recreate another successful franchise by adapting the Scream movies for the small screen. 

Taking Remakes Seriously

If we can learn anything from the above it’s that judging a reboot before you’ve seen it is stupid. Actually, judging anything before you’ve given it a proper look over is dumb. But it seems like remakes in particular get an extra dose of prejudgment due to their predecessors and the fact that so many reinvented projects have let us down. So, if we want to overcome this weird dual relationship between studios and audiences, here’s where we should start.

Some tips if you’re restarting a franchise

If you’re remaking something that was a hit:

Don’t rest on your laurels. All of the original success is no excuse to slack off now. In fact, you should probably just assume that everyone is going to turn their nose up at your new project before they even make it through the first promo. If you don’t have a good story to tell, one that stands alone to the original, then pack your bags and go home.

If you’re remaking something that was a cult classic:

This is not 1970, 80, 90, or whatever time period your original masterpiece was created in. So don’t try and rebuild the strange quirkiness of the first person’s take. You’re writing for a new generation – One that has seen it all and wants even more. There will always be traditionalists that say ‘the original was better’ even just to spite you. Which means you should throw out the rulebook and do something that makes you excited. As long as it has heart, it will find an audience.

If you’re remaking something that was originally unsuccessful:

Great!! Maybe you don’t have a juggernaut of success to bring in attention or publicity, but as said before that can come with its own drawbacks. You’re not losing out on as much as you think you are. Be brave and creative, have a good story to tell, and let everything else fall away.

Some tips if you’re watching a reboot

Tip Number 1:

People of the general public, you kind of need to put a freeze on opinions until you actually get a look at the new material. You may have been burned more times than you can count, but the fact is, you can judge a Hulk remake on the biases of that crappy Dukes of Hazards film. They’re two completely different things and need to be measured accordingly.

Tip Number 2:

If you’re watching something being remade that you care deeply about, try and remember that no matter what happens reboots can’t tarnish the love of the original. Yes, people may be distracted by the flashy new version of things, but in the end that doesn’t have to affect your relationship to the original franchise.

Tip Number 3:

Stay open minded. Leave all of your preconceived notions at the door and give whatever it is you’re watching a fair chance. If you don’t like what you see, you’re more than encouraged to shout it from the rooftops. But allow yourself to take the reboot for whatever it is.

What do you think of franchise reboots? Are there any television shows or movies you would love to see remade?