Back to the future

Kellie Little

More stories from Kellie Little

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It will always be a gamble to remake or reboot a franchise. Viewers may hate it, or it may breathe new life into an old series.

“It’s so unnecessary. I feel like every movie I’ve seen lately is the same one I watched a couple years ago. It’s annoying and a waste of my time,” Katherine Tilton, junior, said.

Newly released It marks another in a long string of remakes. Remakes like The Mummy, Kong: Skull Island, and the live action Beauty and the Beast have taken over Hollywood. Despite few getting good reviews, according to an imbd.com study, they do head the list of the top grossing movies.

“I prefer them [reboots and remakes] to original movies. At least I’ll know what I’m about to watch,” Holly Wright, sophomore, said.

Reboots are gaining popularity, too. They bring a new perspective to an old story. Movies like Jurassic World and Captain America: Civil War were described as the most anticipated movies of the summer of 2016 by Entertainment Weekly magazine. Old television shows are being remade into movies, Baywatch, Chips, and 21 Jump Street.

Not all television shows follow that lead. This year, networks rebooted Will and Grace and Gilmore Girls. The market continues to grow and change.

“Reboots make me feel nostalgic. I remember my favorite characters and how I felt when I first watched it,” Danny Mercado, senior, said.

Lack of originality in Hollywood stems from lack of money. According to bleachbypass.com, remakes and reboots are safe investments. Brands attract more viewers, and people are more likely to watch something familiar to them, that they already liked once before, rather than watch something new and risk wasting their time and money.