The issue with remakes: the sequel

From beloved Disney princess movies to iconic slasher films, every movie seems to be getting 10 sequels and a remake these days; but is that a good thing?

Just this year there has been a “Captain America” sequel and a “Snow White” remake, and set to come out later this year are a “M3gan” sequel, a “Superman” remake, a “Freaky Friday” remake and another “Mission Impossible” movie. This will be the eighth movie in the Mission Impossible series. These aren’t even all of the sequels and remakes set to release in 2025.

Hollywood has never been a stranger to remakes. Since the beginning of film, movies have been based off stage plays, books and documentaries, then retold and remade with fresh eyes years later. There isn’t even much evidence to suggest that the rate of remakes is increasing. In fact, remakes and sequels were actually at an all time high in the 1980s. Despite that, it still feels that every trailer I see is either a remake, or a sequel.

Remakes and sequels are often fun and digestible, making it easy to just pop into a theater and watch without a second thought. There is nothing inherently wrong with making an easily enjoyable movie. Not every movie has to be some thought provoking, life changing piece of modern art. 

What does matter – and what has changed since the 1980s to now make it feel like remakes and sequels are at an all time high when they aren’t, is how these movies are marketed. These are the movies that get all the big budgets for filming and marketing. That’s why it seems every trailer is for one of them, and they do this because they know that remakes are widely accepted, and will make them more money.

     Even if there isn’t an increase in how many remakes and sequels are being made, it seems that they’re being put out quicker, with movies having sequels within a year, just to ride the wave of how much the movie originally made.

     This goes to show that sequels and remakes being easily digestible is exactly why they are so harmful to the film industry as a creative outlet. By diluting the film industry with unoriginal stories in order to bring in the big bucks, upcoming filmmakers with new ideas get less of a chance to get the money and opportunities they need to make their ideas come to life. 

     Next time you go to the theaters to see a sequel or remake, think twice and see if there’s anything original out to watch instead.