The rise of remakes and sequels
- Niamh Bishop
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
In the last decade, the movie business has run out of ideas. More cinema experiences have been riddled with scoffs at repetitive storylines or groans at unwanted sequels ruining previously cherished classics. Just by looking at IMDbs worst movies of the 2020s, it isn't difficult to see that these types of movies are simply not satisfying viewers. New movies in treasured series such as Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and Harry Potter featured some of the lowest ratings on this list.
Ratings of new Marvel movies are decreasing because of their convoluted storylines, over reliance on CGI and the prayer that you are following the thousands of storylines and minor characters in each spin off. Movies are losing the creativity that made the originals so beloved. So why make pointless sequels? Why spoil movies many deem perfect with a recreation that often tarnishes the original?
The (dis)honourable mentions of worst movies include seasonal movies like Halloween, which dragged Micheal Myers through 10 sequels; none of which matched the old school scares of the first. This is a running trend for horror movies with some icons of the genre crossing over with one another. For example, Freddy VS Jason, a seemingly desperate attempt to regain interest in both classic thrillers, receiving an abysmal 42% on rotten tomatoes.
Unfortunately, the Star Wars series finds itself placed on the list of sequels that haven't fulfilled fans as much as their predecessors, though admittedly it cannot be overlooked that that series left ginormous shoes to fill.
Despite this harsh criticism, there is hope with some of these remakes. For example, the new Superman movie with David Corenswet taking over from Henry Cavill had many fans elated at the sense of joy he reinserted into the role. Paul Mescal as the new Gladiator was also a popular introduction last year, although the movie may not have been the most historically accurate. Top Gun: Maverick was also popular upon its release with the adrenaline rush and white-knuckled thrill of the first movie continuing on.
As well as this, classic remakes continue to be popular among audiences. Once the leaves turn brown, the 2019 Little Women and the 2005 Pride and Prejudice have just as much charm as their classic counterparts. James Bond and Mission Impossible, despite being two of the longest running movie franchises, are another example of sequels done right with each movie taking considerable effort to be more thrilling and exciting than the last and so far seemingly delivering.
The debate rolls on with the new remade Harry Potter series coming out on HBO in 2027; we will continue to ask the question: “Is Hollywood losing its creativity?”
Edited by Gabriella Whiston
A very interesting article! There are indeed more remakes now than ever before, and they're all of average or low quality.
I don't entirely agree with the assessment of the Harry Potter series as a remake. I'm really looking forward to it, as I see it as a new, more detailed adaptation of the magnificent books, which suffered greatly in the film adaptation. I think the series format will allow us to show not only the core idea but also much more of what the books contained. Furthermore, the new Hermione seems potentially much more vibrant and talented than Emma Watson. So, there's a chance that in 10 years, we'll have two different adaptations of these wonderful stories.