It seems as though Hollywood thinks that there are no more stories that need to be told. While older generations grew up during an era of cinematic prosperity, such as the Golden Age of Hollywood and the Disney Renaissance, in recent years, the general focus of film has shifted to reworking already existing movies. Though usually benign if a little boring, sometimes these revamps go too far. For instance, Disney classics such as “Winnie the Pooh” and “Bambi” seem to be rebooting from family friendly fairy tales to horror stories on par with the likes of Jason Voorhees and Ghostface.
In terms of marketing, it is understandable that with so many streaming services fighting to survive and the cinema industry in decline, the demand for content has surpassed the supply of new ideas and resources. However, the oversaturation of rushed spin-offs, reboots, prequels, and sequels may have gone too far.
There are many overlooked stories waiting to be told, scripts waiting to be written, and books waiting to be adapted. The solution to this problem likely requires passionate, imaginative minds to collaborate, create, and break the cycle of boredom and rehashes that streaming platforms and feature films have become.
Quality plot lines, witty writing, and inspiring events are not as scarce as they appear to be. Just because a film was successful the first time does not mean that the same thing will happen years later. Not everyone has to replicate the example of “Jumanji” or “Top Gun” in order to be successful.
Historically, there have been times where the perfect storm for the film and visual industry has blossomed. At this time, the general public is craving such a spark of individual and collective inspiration to assist an industry that is teetering on the edge of decline.
While it may seem like both original ideas and reboots are subject to ridicule, this often happens due to a reliance on either nostalgia or what is popular in the moment. The key to creating new yet popular content appears to be balance. In order to achieve perfect harmony, the industry must learn how to simultaneously cherish the old and bring the firework innovation to the new.