For years, filmmakers have been creating various movie remakes and sequels to update old movies and attract old and new audiences. Although they might not always be necessary, these types of movies may be easier to make since they come from already existing material. Unfortunately, not every remake or sequel has been successful.
Remakes are made to bring back old audiences and nostalgia, along with new fans. They tell the same story with a different perspective and updated technology. A popular remake in the late 90’s was The Parent Trap. The original parent trap was filmed in 1961, and was about a set of twins that had been separated at birth and grew closer together as they planned to get their divorced parents back together. There were many changes to the original movie, including character names, but the main actor Lindsay Lohan did a good job portraying the twins and their big personalities. There are also some remakes that many feel are inferior to the original, including Mean Girls. The original movie was released in 2004, and was about a girl who joins a popular high school clique after being homeschooled for years. The 2024 remake wasn’t very popular, as it was turned into a musical, and many who had seen the original did not like this change. The actors of the remake just did not reach the high standards of the original cast, and some might consider it cringey.
Sequels are movies used to continue the story of their original films. Some sequels we cannot wait to see while others seem unnecessary. The movie Rocky came out in 1976, and was about a boxer who got a chance to win the world heavyweight championship and lost to Apollo Creed by a split decision. The second movie was good because it continued his story as he had a rematch and beat Apollo. In the movies to come after he continued with his fights and kept going as it got harder. This series was very popular, and the sequels were absolutely relevant. Scream 2, however, can be considered a bad sequel, which was released in 1997 while the original was released just a year before. Scream was a horror film about a girl whose mom was murdered and her journey to finding out who the killer was. The continuation of the story was unnecessary because the story was finished and should have ended right there. Instead, they brought in a new killer for the second movie. It was not as good as the lighthearted original, and it did not have the same humor as the original.
Remakes and sequels have mixed results, but the best ones come from a creative mind and are necessary to continue or bring back a story. Sometimes these movies can be made just because it is easier to create based off what already exists, but those movies are not always as necessary or relevant. It is important to have new ideas and add them to movies, but some changes just do not reach or go above the standards of the originals.
