Greetings, intrepid readers! M. H. Barton here with another blog on the art and craft of storytelling. It’s a new year with new beginnings, so to start 2023, I thought I’d examine the best franchise reboots in film. Reboots aren’t a new idea, but they’ve exploded in popularity in recent years. While many reboots fall flat, a precious few prove to be both necessary and transcendent, which we’ll explore here. Of note, I do make a distinction between a remake and a reboot. Remakes, by and large, are mostly faithful recreations of their source material for its own sake, such as 2010’s True Grit. Reboots, on the other hand, are meant to start the franchise fresh with a blank slate. The reboot may still pay homage to its origins if the original was particularly successful or iconic, but the ultimate goal of a reboot is to take the franchise in a new direction moving forward. Also, I won’t be considering sequels that come out years after the original, such as Top Gun: Maverick, as I consider these to be revivals, not reboots. Only true, hard reboots are considered. Anyway, that’s enough outlining. Time to start anew!
Number Ten – Star Trek (2009)
While the main Star Trek franchise has largely maintained a single continuity throughout its film and TV history, this movie was the first to break with that. Here, we meet a completely new James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, brilliantly played by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. The story concept is appropriately heady, featuring time travel, alternate universes, and historical deviations due to the villain, Nero, as well as the original Spock. Hell, we even get a crowd-pleasing cameo from Leonard Nemoy himself! Though it does have many of the bombastic action sequences typical of modern films, this is a reboot crafted with great care, bringing the relationship between Kirk and Spock to the forefront. While nothing can replace the original show and films, this film was an incredible effort to introduce the franchise to a younger generation.
Number Nine – Godzilla (2014)
One of the oldest franchises on this list, the Godzilla films have run the gamut from tense and horrifying to downright silly. But with director Gareth Edwards at the helm, this film’s goal was to harken back to the more restrained style of the original 1954 film while starting the franchise fresh. He wanted to play hard into the man vs. nature type of story and was influenced by real disasters such as the 2004 tsunami, hurricane Katrina, and the Fukushima disaster. This gritty approach was an absolute necessity after the dumpster fire that was 1998’s Godzilla. While that version focused on a largely mortal creature that could ultimately be killed, this Godzilla returns to being a creature of mythical proportions, immune to the army’s best weapons and striking untold fear with the mere mention of its name. This reboot was an excellent reminder that similar to Jaws, the most powerful of creatures often don’t require massive amounts of screen time to make their mark.
Number Eight – Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
After Tim Burton’s failed 2001 reboot of this film series, it took another ten years for a true successor to the original Charlton Heston classic to emerge. Rather than using spaceships and time travel, this reboot instead focused on human experiments on apes that inadvertently enhanced their genetics. What follows is a surprisingly deep look at the potential consequences of science without a conscience. With James Franco as the lead actor and Andy Serkis once again transcending his motion-capture suit, this CGI spectacular shows an incredible amount of heart. The way the sci-fi elements weave seamlessly with the racial and societal undertones is quite impressive. This is a worthy successor to the original films, hence why it received two sequels with a third now in production. An excellent new direction for fans of the Heston film.
Number Seven – It (2017)
This one is a bit of a grey area, as the original 1990 It was a mini-series, rather than a film, but I feel they count due to how iconic they both are. Where Tim Curry took the world by storm as the original Pennywise, Bill Skarsgård upped the stakes significantly with his downright terrifying portrayal of the demented clown. Combine this with a crew of excellent young actors and spot-on direction from Andy Muschietti, and you’ve got a film that redefined the horror franchise in the modern day. While most horror films are either slasher or psychological, It is one of those rare gems that manages to balance both elements. I’ll admit that horror isn’t a genre I enjoy at all, but even I can see how powerful this faithful adaptation of Stephen King’s story is.
Number Six – The Mummy (1999)
Ah, good memories of this movie. Where the original 1932 film was a true horror classic, director Stephen Sommers wanted a more adventurous and romantic feel for this reboot, making it something of a spiritual successor to Indiana Jones. This turned out to be the right choice, as Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz have ridiculously good chemistry throughout. That, plus the tense confrontations with the villainous Imhotep make for a truly epic adventure if there ever was one. Industrial Light & Magic was at the top of their game, as well, making the CGI effects both believable and fantastic while blending these effects seamlessly with the live-action segments. This classic reboot made for a successful four-film franchise, one that launched the acting career of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, for better or worse. Sadly, the franchise would be rebooted once again with Tom Cruise as the lead, with far less success. Sometimes, one should let sleeping mummies lie.
Number Five – Casino Royale (2006)
James Bond is another tricky area for reboots. One could argue the franchise is rebooted every time there’s a new Bond actor. I, however, typically view the series through the lens of semi-continuous period stories rather than a constantly rebooted continuity. The one exception to this, of course, is Daniel Craig’s first outing as Bond in Casino Royale. For the first time, Eon Productions made a clean break from all previous films and decided to tell Bond’s origin story, kicking off a series-within-a-series for Daniel Craig. While the four direct sequels would go through various highs (Skyfall) and lows (Quantum of Solace), this entry was a strong beginning to that new direction. While I may disagree with some of the creative decisions made in this one, I’ll give the studio credit for choosing its direction and committing to it. They wanted a Bond who was darker, grittier, and more brutal in his violence, and that’s what they gave us. As Q would say two films later, they don’t really go in for exploding pens anymore.
Number Four – Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
One of the best superheroes of all time, Spider-Man is no stranger to the big screen. Tobey Maguire did well as the first modern Peter Parker, but his film series went off the rails in its third entry, prompting the ill-fated reboot with Andrew Garfield. After two blah films, fans worried about the future of Spidey. That is, until it was announced Spider-Man would join the massive ranks of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Tom Holland as Peter Parker, he thrilled audiences during his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, leading directly to his first solo outing in Homecoming. It’s a joyous blend of high school drama and superhero antics, all enhanced further by Holland’s excellent portrayal of our favorite web-slinger. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention the spot-on performance by Michael Keaton as the villain, Adrian Toomes. With Maguire, we got a perfect Peter Parker but a so-so Spider-Man. With Garfield, Spider-Man was better but at the expense of Peter Parker. Holland is truly the best of both worlds, equal parts awkward Peter Parker and quippy Spider-Man. Of note, I seriously considered Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse for this slot as well. Tom Holland was just such a sigh of relief for fans that he won out, but Spider-Verse definitely deserves a mention, too.
Number Three – Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
The original Ocean’s 11 was a classic heist film, no doubt. After all, it was Sinatra and the Rat Pack in their prime. But even the Rat Pack can’t hold a candle to this ensemble cast performance by George Clooney and friends. This isn’t just the best heist film ever made, it’s the film that defines the entire genre. Each of its sequels, The Italian Job, Ant-Man, and every film with even a hint of heist elements owes much to this film. The cast is perfect, the story is gripping, the twists and turns of their scheme are fun and exciting, nothing at all is out of place. This wasn’t just an excellent reboot, it was a truly necessary reboot for the world of filmmaking and storytelling.
Number Two – The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Speaking of ensemble cast performances, this is one of the few that can give even the cast of Ocean’s Eleven a run for its money. Headlined by Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen, this classic western is actually a reboot of the Japanese film, Seven Samurai, which itself was known as The Magnificent Seven in America. While the American reboot received only mixed reviews upon its release, it’s since been regarded as one of the greatest westerns ever made. The cast is incredible, the script is strong, and the direction by John Sturges is superb. Even with three sequels, a TV series, and the 2016 film remake, the original gripping and emotional tale of vigilantes fighting for something greater than themselves will always rank among the best stories ever told.
Honorable Mentions
Tomb Raider (2018)
Films adapted from video games have a rough history, to say the least, but this one starring Alicia Vikander is a bright spot. The original Tomb Raider may have launched Angelina Jolie into superstardom, but this film truly captured the tone of the video games. Sadly, a sequel has been delayed, but this one is definitely worth the watch.
X-Men: First Class (2011)
The X-Men franchise had been rocky and inconsistent, but this half-prequel and half-reboot showed that good things could still be found in these characters. Though James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are no Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, their takes on a younger Xavier and Magneto were well-received, cementing this film’s success.
Man of Steel (2013)
Five years after the start of the MCU, DC decided it was time to try its hand at a cinematic universe. It hasn’t gone that well for them since, but their initial outing was a surprisingly strong one. Rather than focusing on the Boy Scout elements of Superman, as with Christopher Reeve, Henry Cavill explored the darker aspects of the character. It still suffered from being another reboot trying to emulate the greatest reboot of all. Speaking of which, that leads us to…
Number One – Batman Begins (2005)
This isn’t just the greatest reboot ever, it’s also the most necessary reboot. Batman had fallen on hard times in film. Though the 1990s were kind to the character in TV shows with the DC Animated Universe, the film series crashed and burned in 1997 with the much-maligned Batman & Robin. After eight years, Christopher Nolan took the helm and decided not to tell the story of Batman, but of Bruce Wayne. That’s the crux of why this film is so great. Batman is brought back to his origins as a dark vigilante which Wayne himself struggles with. He needs Batman as a means to fight injustice, but he must also be incorruptible in his actions, lest the legend of Batman become perverted. Eventually, everyone begins to wonder which is the real personality, Bruce Wayne or Batman? Christian Bale is fantastic as Wayne, and with a supporting cast that includes Michael Cain, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman, there was simply no way this film wouldn’t achieve Christopher Nolan’s vision. It spawned perhaps the greatest trilogy of superhero films ever made and provided the blueprint for how to properly start fresh in storytelling. After all, why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up. Well said, Alfred.
And that’s going to do it for our list of reboots. As the New Year begins, what new stories are you inspired to tell? Was this list helpful in your efforts? Did I miss any important ones? Feel free to let me know in the comments or reach out directly, especially if you have any ideas or requests for future entries. I’ve got an active running list of ideas, but I’m always open to more. I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a like and share this post on social media. And to stay up to date on future blog posts, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website. Until the next story!