For the past few years, nostalgia, remakes, and sequels have been spewed out all over Hollywood. From the failed Heathers reboot to several different Spidermans in less than 20 years. Even video games like Crash Bandicoot have gotten reboots. it feels like there isn’t a whole not of new content being made. Disney seems hellbent on remaking everything. Why is Hollywood remaking everything?
Why Is Hollywood Remaking Everything
1. They’re Safe
Remakes, reboots, and sequels/prequels are safe options for studios because they’ve already established a fanbase. There’s almost guaranteed sales and popularity. What they’re forgetting about, is that we’re sick of them.
Money is why Hollywood is remaking everything. They know it’s safer than making something new.
I’m not completely against remakes but I’m sceptical of them, especially when it’s something I love. When the 2010 Alice in Wonderland remake came out I really liked it because it was so different from the original. It felt like a live action sequel more than a remake. Back in 2010 Disney wasn’t fully in “lets remake everything mode!” like they are now.
2. Disney’s Obsession
This whole rant started because I stumbled upon the new soundtrack for the Lion King live action. They basically got Hanz Zimmer back on board and rebooted the score, which I personally think sometimes sounds a little more boisterous than what was, in my opinion, a perfect original. It’s also the remake I’m the most hesitant about because the Lion King was flawless as it was.
As much as I love seeing lions (or realistic animated ones this case) I’m also finding it hard to see how a film with only CGI animals will work. It means less facial expressions and there’s no human characters to break that. The Lion King has been my favourite movie since birth so I’m probably biased due to being very protective of it.
I haven’t seen a lot of the Disney remakes, not even Beauty and the Beast (which is my favourite Disney princess film). From what I’ve gathered they could not have cast a better Lefou and Gaston. That said, was it necessary to ramake?
3. Taking It To A Different Medium
I prefer seeing something move to a new medium than to see the same film be made again, for example The Lion King on Broadway, or the Heathers Musical. Both were based on the original story. The Lion King stayed very true to the film’s plot and even included a cut scene where Scar tries to seduce Nala. Although Heathers made some changes to the plot nothing pivotal changed and we also got some great songs out of it.
It goes without saying that book to movie adaptions do extraordinary well. Often films leave things out or alter the story to suit them. Cirque du Freak was an example of why you shouldn’t stray too far away, because they tried to squeeze the first 3 books into one movie Ironically they used none of the second book which is where the film got it’s name from. Harry Potter made some changes but was still Harry Potter.
The Bottom Line On Reboots
I feel like there’s a difference between remaking something decades old, and a reboot of something still popular. Old Disney films never die out. It’s not like A Star is Born, which was originally made in the 30s. It was then rebooted in 1957 and 1976. There’s a solid 20 years between them; a whole generation. Most kids grow up with the Disney classics, no matter what decade they were born in.
I don’t want to come across too harsh, I don’t hate remakes, nor to I think people who like them are wrong. I just tend to ignore them when they come out. After all, most of these are films that came out or I saw as a child, I’m not in the target market for the new versions so if the kids enjoy them then great.
Please, for the love of God, Disney, give us something new.
Very interesting post! Thanks for sharing.
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Completely agree with you on this. I don’t really bother with remakes and sometimes it feels like they overdo it with sequels / prequels and so on opposed to creating something new.
I can understand wanting to get the attention of a new audience / generation but why can’t they just relaunch / advertise the original? Some of the Disney movies were perfect as they are. I still love the Lion King, definitely need to see the show on Broadway though.
I remember on the Lion King’s 20th anniversary, they put it back on in the cinema, I’d much prefer they stuck to doing things like that to attract a new generation
I am a huge Disney fan and I love the remakes. I love the real life take, I feel like it brings a film I love to life in a way that being at Disneyland does.
It brings so much magic and passion to a new generation.
But I agree with the lion king, not feeling that remake at all x
I’m surprise you mention Cirque Du Freak. The movie did have some potential, but the plot fell short. Lead me to think longer book series work better as TV shows.
As for Disney, I like The Jungle Book and the Dumbo remake, but the rest are meh. I heard their going to remake Lilo and Stich. I’m sorry, but that draws the line for me.
Hollywood has always been making remakes. There are original movies that come out. Most of the time there indie films that appear in theaters weekend in a mouth and gone the next.
Yes, so much of what’s created in Hollywood these days is either a remake or a part of a series. I agree that it’s about money; Frozen II is the first time a Disney Princess movie has had a sequel, and undoubtedly Disney felt like that “had” to create it due to the overwhelming success of the first one.
I heard that the remake of Lion King was pretty bad. Greatly great CGI but otherwise just a regurgitation of the first one. Sounds like Beauty and the Beast was the same way.
Well, and in a little bit we have the remake of Little Women to look forward to! Ha ha.
AMEN! These reboots are driving me bonkers.