The Growing Trend of Remakes, Reboots and Spin-Offs in Cinema

Donkey alongside Shrek and Puss in Boots. – Courtesy photo / Shrek via Facebook

The word ‘millennial’ encompasses those born between 1983 and 1996, so there is a diverse collection of ages underneath that umbrella term. At the same time, the ’80s and ’90s saw a plethora of seminal movies released, with studio executives determined to allow millennials to relive their youth by remaking, rebooting or spinning off from those classics. Even films released this millennium aren’t safe from the reboot treatment, with Dreamworks Animation’s Shrek the latest to be announced.

Movie executives have uncovered the power of nostalgia in cinema; even if millennials are not exactly craving a reboot of “Shrek” or a remake of “Clueless,” those who have fond memories of the original film are likely to flock to the cinema out of curiosity if nothing else. Throw in a new generation of fans who will grow up with these new films as their originals and it is clear that remakes have the potential to be huge money-spinners at a time when audiences are even interested in movie costumes when they’re from their favourite franchises.

The era of the movie franchise

The ten highest-grossing films of 2017 are testament to this. Four Marvel movies and one DC release combine to show the supremacy of superheroes, while the presence of “The Fate of the Furious” and “Despicable Me 3” show the power of the sequel. The movie “It” is based on a Stephen King novel and is a remake of a 1990 miniseries while the second highest-grossing movie is Disney’s live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast.” Atop the list with a 2017 gross of over $517 million is “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi.”

Disney has adopted the approach that any new Star Wars film is better than no new Star Wars film, although Solo’s domestic gross of just over $200 million may cause a rethink. “Solo” is just one 2018 blockbuster that won’t satisfy fans of genuine cinematic inspiration. “Solo” extends the Star Wars universe just like “Fantastic Beasts” does to Harry Potter. There was “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” a spin-off from the classic trilogy and “Ocean’s 8,” a spin-off from another classic trilogy. The Grinch became animated, Lara Croft became rebooted and Mary Poppins is set to return over 50 years after the original.

Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander and Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein in “Fantastic Beasts.” – Courtesy photo / Fantastic Beasts via Facebook

Even potential Oscar champion “A Star Is Born” is a remake (of a remake of a remake). This is not a criticism, as the motivations for each film can be clearly pinpointed. “Fantastic Beasts” and “Jurassic World” take viewers back into beloved universes with new stories, “Ocean’s 8” was essential because of its fantastic female cast, while 50 years is probably enough time to elapse before commissioning a reboot of “Mary Poppins” with Emily Blunt in the starring role.

Branching out beyond cinema

Many big movie releases are closely followed by the launch of companion games, with video games and online slot games helping to popularise the characters. “Cars 3: Driven to Win,” “Ghostbusters” (2016) and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” are just three examples of video games that draw directly from the movies that gave them their names, using characters, settings and plotlines from them. Many franchises have their own slot game spin-offs, with Betway casino offering licensed slots based on the popular worlds of “Jurassic Park” and “Tomb Raider,” which bring each film’s aesthetic to computer and mobile screens. Having characters and themes that transcend forms of media is a clear sign of a blockbuster hit. Being made into LEGO is another sign that your movie series has become a global franchise. This prestigious honour has been received by pretty much every franchise going, with spin-offs “Fantastic Beasts” and “Jurassic World” receiving their own range. Another clear sign that a big movie is hitting cinemas is when characters are turned into free gifts in Happy Meals from McDonald’s, with their limited availability helping to generate a frenzy around a particular film. The Independent reported how some Happy Meal toys are now worth in excess of $400, which is not a bad return for a free gift.

Traditionally, it is novels that inspire movies to be created, but many recent spin-offs and remakes have had the novel treatment. “Rogue One” inspired both a novel based on the movie and an Ultimate Visual Guide to the film’s locations and characters, while “Transformers: The Veiled Threat” fills the narrative gap between the first two films in the series. As uncomfortable as it might be to admit for most people, the last influential character that has achieved true crossover appeal from a completely new creation are Minions. Of course, they capitalised on the popularity of “Despicable Me” by starring in their own self-titled spin-off. It seems that big characters can no longer be contained to one, two or even three movies.

The days of a studio saying “those three films did well, let’s leave it as a trilogy” are long gone. Instead, it is imperative to ensure that every successful side character has the chance to be a protagonist, while an expanded presence in other media ensures that the remake or reboot quickly becomes as recognisable as the original.