Reboot Mania

[Captainjerky]

I've just spent some time checking out these forums and have noticed a lot of mentions of films that are essentially reboots. The list included (after a quick search) Highlander, Total Recall, and even Batman.
I can think of several reboots that I have really enjoyed (such as A-Team, the Nolan Batman films, and even mostly Abrams' Star Trek, if you can forgive the many technical liberties). I can think of quite a few that I didn't like (many will hate me for this, but I didn't like the new BSG. I grew up on the original, and RDM just took the names and changed everything else. They went from good characters in a bad situation in the original, to bad people in a bad situation. Honestly, I think I was rooting for the Cylons to kill the dirty humans for the first season and a half. I just wanted a character to root for, to really care about, and that was hard for a while.)
Now they're talking Judge Dredd, and the new Spider Man just hit theaters. I have to ask, why redo Spiderman? Other than the fact that I thought Toby MacGuire did a good job, I really dig Sam Raimi. Also, those films are not that old! It seems like a certain amount of time should pass before people can remake a movie! I think we should create some sort of safe list of movies that we don't want people screwing with! How about I nominate Back to the Future and Ghostbusters, otherwise I fear somebody will defile forever the childhood classics I remember (I'm talking you, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).
In any case, I thought I'd bring up for discussion: what's with all the reboots? Do you think people are eager for a new take on an old classic? Is Hollywood out of good ideas and just trying to recycle something that once made them money? Are people becoming risk-averse and would just rather stick with something familiar? I suppose, with movie budgets what they are, studios would rather go with a proven concept than risking all that money on a new author/director/etc.
In any case, reboots. What do you think?

[Snowman37]

I've just spent some time checking out these forums and have noticed a lot of mentions of films that are essentially reboots. The list included (after a quick search) Highlander, Total Recall, and even Batman.

Total Recall (2012) is a remake, not a reboot. What's there to reboot anyway? There was just a short story and the one movie. As for Batman, I'll give you that.

I can think of several reboots that I have really enjoyed (such as A-Team, the Nolan Batman films, and even mostly Abrams' Star Trek, if you can forgive the many technical liberties).

The A-Team wasn't a reboot either, just a movie remake of the TV show. Star Trek, on the other hand, would be a reboot as are Nolan's Batman movies in regards to the earlier movies of the 90's.

...the new Spider Man just hit theaters. I have to ask, why redo Spiderman? Other than the fact that I thought Toby MacGuire did a good job, I really dig Sam Raimi. Also, those films are not that old! It seems like a certain amount of time should pass before people can remake a movie!

The studio wanted to rush out the fourth movie. Sam Raimi walked, because he didn't have enough time to put out a quality film. When he walked, Maguire and Dunst walked too. Rather than recast and risk loosing money, the studio went the reboot route. This new movie is far from a remake. It's an entirely different origin story.

I think we should create some sort of safe list of movies that we don't want people screwing with! How about I nominate Back to the Future and Ghostbusters, otherwise I fear somebody will defile forever the childhood classics I remember (I'm talking you, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).

Eh, I don't think anyone will care. It's easier to ignore a movie one does not like.

Is Hollywood out of good ideas and just trying to recycle something that once made them money?

Hollywood's not out of ideas, they just like to play it safe by creating a movie with a built in audience. Remakes, sequels, prequels, spin-offs, based on a book, based on real life... all of that is going to get studio backing before something original. Why? Built in audience.

[Wyrminarrd]

Yeah, properties with built in awareness are less risky propositions for studios, especially when it comes to big budget movies.

As for rebooting Spider-man so soon it's because if Sony didn't do it they would lose the movie rights to Spider-man. I also heard that one of the reason they went with a reboot was to reduce the cost of the movies. I'd heard talk that Spider-man IV would have required a 200 million dollar plus budget which is always a risky venture.

[Blencathra]

Well I don't care whether these are reboots, remakes, re-imaginings or origin stories . They just annoy me with their bland, boring, unimaginative, "Let's churn out another one" philosophy.

And it isn't just movies. It's TV series too. Something that really, really makes my blood boil is re-making brilliant TV shows for an American audience & making a sh*te job of it, ie Life on Mars, Being Human, Skins and now Misfits. Why just not show the original?

(Anyway we had the last laugh, along with those the US also got Dancing with the Stars, American Idol & The X Factor)

[Wyrminarrd]

Well I don't care whether these are reboots, remakes, re-imaginings or origin stories . They just annoy me with their bland, boring, unimaginative, "Let's churn out another one" philosophy.

And it isn't just movies. It's TV series too. Something that really, really makes my blood boil is re-making brilliant TV shows for an American audience & making a sh*te job of it, ie Life on Mars, Being Human, Skins and now Misfits. Why just not show the original?

(Anyway we had the last laugh, along with those the US also got Dancing with the Stars, American Idol & The X Factor)

Because there are cultural differences that make british shows not work for the american tv audience plus british shows are often produced in numbers that are to small for american tv....

[Teddybrown]

Well I don't care whether these are reboots, remakes, re-imaginings or origin stories . They just annoy me with their bland, boring, unimaginative, "Let's churn out another one" philosophy.

And it isn't just movies. It's TV series too. Something that really, really makes my blood boil is re-making brilliant TV shows for an American audience & making a sh*te job of it, ie Life on Mars, Being Human, Skins and now Misfits. Why just not show the original?

(Anyway we had the last laugh, along with those the US also got Dancing with the Stars, American Idol & The X Factor)

You forgot Sherlock

[Ibn Rushd]

I also hate reboots and remakes. I've been thinking for years that they seem to have run out of stories, so they tell old ones, hoping we wouldn't notice.

[Captainjerky]

I'm American and loved Dr. Who (Chris Eccleston is still my favorite new Dr), old Monty Python, Red Dwarf, Scrapheap Challenge (or Junkyard Wars in the US) and especially Simon Peggy and Co in Spaced. That's one of my favorite shows of all time. I think major networks have a problem with the shorter series length overseas, since most shows here run 24 eps for a full season, though most cable networks usually keep the numbers closer to 13 or slightly more. I do have to complain what they did to Torchwood when it went to Starz here in the states. I was just beginning to like it in the second season....
I had no idea that was the Spiderman movie story. Good to know Raimi stood up for himself.

[Crazedwraith]

Reboot?



I loved that show as a kid...

[Atlantean2005]

Reboot?



I loved that show as a kid...

When I saw the thread title, this is EXACTLY what I was thinking!!! I LOVED Reboot!!! Broke my heart that I was never able to see the last season... Cartoon Network never aired it while I had the channel...

[mandogater]

I also hate reboots and remakes. I've been thinking for years that they seem to have run out of stories, so they tell old ones, hoping we wouldn't notice.

Same here. I still regret wasting my money on the Star Trek one. Funny moments aside, I felt like they dumbed it down way too much. The only one that almost pulled me in was BSG. Even as a fan of the original, I was intrigued when it first came out. Once it turned into a soap opera in space I quit watching.

[Ibn Rushd]

I used to watch the show Reboot too, on YTV. Awesomeness.

[Snowman37]

Same here. I still regret wasting my money on the Star Trek one. Funny moments aside, I felt like they dumbed it down way too much.

Being a reboot didn't dumb it down. It was the director and writers we have to thank for that.

[mandogater]

Being a reboot didn't dumb it down. It was the director and writers we have to thank for that.

I know. I was just griping about the movie.

Makes me wonder if there are any good writers or directors left in Hollywood.