Many film fans have grown to share the same opinion of the film industry over the last decade or two: the studios are simply out of original ideas. Cinema screens are dominated by sequels, spin-offs, and reboots at the expense of original concepts and unknown characters. In fact, it seems the only original ideas put into production are those with the potential to be turned into a franchise.
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That being said, this reliance on familiar IP isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The MCU is the most successful franchise ever, and fans can’t wait to seethe upcomingDoctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. Many reboots, however, feel desperate, cheap, and the product not of imagination but of lazy thinking and corporate greed instead.
‘Robocop’ (2014)
On the surface, theRobocopreboot seemed like a surefire hit.Joel Kinnamanwas chosen to step into the iconic robotic shoes of Alex Murphy, andSamuel L. Jackson,Michael Keaton,Abbie Cornish, andGary Oldmanwere also recruited to round out the supporting cast. Unfortunately, the film didn’t manage to recapture the original movie’s violence, style, and charisma.
The reboot wasn’t helped by its lack of gore and bloody fight scenes, which alienated fans of the original and didn’t appeal to audiences unfamiliar with the IP either. The reviews were average at best and only earned $242 million at the global box office against an estimated budget of $100 million.
‘The Karate Kid’ (2010)
The originalKarate Kidis one of the most beloved films of the 80s. The story of working-class Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) teaming up with Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) to defeat a group of bullies continues to resonate with audiences to this very day. The ongoing love for the film decides to not only reboot the property but also to change the story in such a major way very questionable.
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Jaden SmithandJackie Chansimply cannot live up to the actors that came before them and though the film earned over $350 million at the global box office, there wasn’t an appetite to return to the series. Thankfully, the originalKarate Kidcharacters have returned in the acclaimed seriesCobra Kai, which is set to release its fifth season at some point this year.
‘Fantastic Four’ (2015)
No big-screen version of theFantastic Fourhas ever captured the magic of the many comic runs featuring Marvel’s first family, but no film has been further from the mark than theJosh Trank-directed film from 2015. Like theRobocopreboot, a cast of incredible up-and-coming actors was assembled, includingMiles Teller,Kate Mara,Michael B. Jordan, andToby Kebbell, but that wasn’t enough to save this flawed, messy and dull reboot.
The production was plagued by reports of disputes between Trank, the cast, and the studio, and the film suffers immensely for that. The Fantastic Four are back in the hands of Marvel now, and the upcoming reboot of the reboot isone of the studio’s most anticipated upcoming films.
‘Psycho’ (1998)
This has got to be one of the strangest reboots ever made. Released thirty-eight years after the original film revolutionized the horror genre and shocked audiences worldwide,Vince Vaughn,Julianne Moore,William H. Macy, andAnne Hechewere recruited to reboot theAlfred Hitchcockclassic.
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What made this reboot particularly underwhelming, though, was the fact that it was a shot-for-shot, line-for-line remake. As a result, the film lost all of its shock factor and unpredictability (Marion’s death is a lot less surprising when you’ve seen it before), and though almost three decades had passed, the film doesn’t look all that much better than the original. The film cost $60 million to make and only managed to recoup $37 million at the global box office, making it one of the biggest commercial flops of the year.
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ (2014)
Fans weren’t all that optimistic when it was announced thatMichael Baywould be producing a live-action reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That apprehension became downright panic when the first details of the film were revealed, claiming that the turtles would be aliens. The outcry from fans was enough to scrap that idea, but it wasn’t enough to salvage this film.
Aesthetically the turtles, entirely CGI creatures, are horrifying to look at. Moreover, it’s unclear who this film is aimed at. The plot is far too confusing for a child to follow (most adults could barely keep up), but the jokes are incredibly juvenile and silly. After two disappointing live-action films, fans have reason to be excited again,with Seth Rogen producing an animated Turtles film. Cowabunga.
‘Halloween’ (2007)
Rob Zombie(could a horror director have a better last name?) made a name for himself with dark and twisted horror films such asThe Devil’s Rejects, which made him a clear choice to direct a reboot of the iconic slasher filmHalloween. Zombie took a unique approach to the material, spending a large chunk of screentime with Michael Myers as a child.
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This helped the film become a somewhat interesting character piece, but problematically it stripped the character of his mystique and terror, which dulled the fear audiences felt while watching the movie. Despite only earning $80 million, Zombie returned for a sequel beforeDavid Gordon Greentook the reigns for a trilogy that will conclude withthe upcomingHalloween Ends.
‘A Nightmare On Elm Street’ (2010)
Because horror films are relatively cheap to produce but have the potential for huge box office returns, they are often rebooted to varying degrees of quality. After many sequels that gradually declined in quality,A Nightmare on Elm Streetwas finally rebooted in 2010, withJackie Earle Haleystepping into the red and green sweater made famous byRobert Englund.
Earley Haley was surrounded by a roster of incredible talent, includingRooney Mara,Katie Cassidy, andConnie Britton. Still, they could not save the film from the horrors of bad reviews. Audiences didn’t take to this iteration of Freddie Krueger either, and any potential sequel plans were quickly scrapped.
‘Godzilla’ (1999)
Of all the reboots ever made, this one is arguably the most disappointing. Made with a staggering budget of $130 million,Godzillawas a critical and commercial failure that underwhelmed critics and fans alike. The king of disaster movies,Roland Emmerich, seemed like a perfect choice to helm the reboot, and many expectedGodzillato be the biggest hit of the year. The film, however, didn’t live up to anybody’s expectations.
There was far too much focus on making the audience laugh (a task in which they never succeed), and the human characters took up far too much of the screen time. But the most disappointing aspect of the reboot was the titular monster himself. Godzilla, taking into account the budget of the film, looks terrible, as if the T-rex fromJurassic Parkhas developed a nasty steroid addiction. This is one monster that you have to see to believe.
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