Hollywood’s propensity for lack of original content have been under scrutiny recently due to the growing numbers of sequels, prequels and remakes coming out of studios. With the recent Power Rangers reboot trailer coming out and due for release next year, is this wave of films selling purely on nostalgia?
Nostalgia in cinema has been a formula in Hollywood for many years, almost always guaranteeing financial success on the memories of a popular TV series or movie. While some projects show their appreciation for the period in history (the 1980s recently with Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some! and the incredibly successful Netflix show Stranger Things),, others have taken the option of furthering the financial value of an old story by creating remakes, sequels and prequels. In 2017 alone, 31 remakes and sequels of classics are set to be made from the children’s classic Jumanji to the science fiction epic Blade Runner.
While this creates a concern for original screenplays in Hollywood, this reshaping of old ideas is proving successful. In 2015, two of the highest grossing films of the year were rebooted franchises: Jurassic World and Star Wars: Force Awakens.
Both films now occupy the third and fourth positions respectively on the all-time top box office charts. This shows more than anything the overwhelming desire audiences hold for nostalgia in cinema.
2016 continued the trend of nostalgia-fuelled films with entries such as Independence Day: Resurgence and Ghostbusters, both receiving average to poor critical opinions. One thing can be said though. Nostalgia cinema is not going anywhere with audiences attracted to the prospect of revisiting familiar characters, stories and worlds; to relive the joy experienced at a certain stage of their lives.
Recently, the world was given their first taste of the Power Rangers reboot, to be released next March. It is clear from the trailer that the 90s special effects have been given a very 21st century makeover. Inspirations from teen superhero movies such as Chronicle and the Marvel studios are evident with the conclusion of the trailer showing the new costumes briefly as it materialises over our protagonists, reminiscent of Marvel super villain Venom.
While it is a concern that the film could be given the same treatment as the failure of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot series, it is most likely to become a money-making machine. However, not all nostalgia films guarantee success.
There have been several unfortunate circumstances when nostalgia films have not worked; this year’s Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie proved that 30 years had been too long and last year’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 proved that one wedding may have been sufficient. Simply put, the original piece has to be popular enough to encourage a second visit.
Nostalgia sells when it has a well-developed, globally accepted franchise. Hollywood needs to be careful which stories require a modern makeover, and which will benefit them financially.
This creates concern for the numbers of upcoming nostalgia films over the next year. Alongside Power Rangers, we have Beauty and the Beast, Jumanji and a rebooted Mummy franchise in 2017. Seen from the hatred that was focused upon the female-centric Ghostbusters film this year, it can go completely wrong. If Hollywood are to continue to go down this familiar road, they must pay respect to the originals as well as attempt to make something that brings new life to a beloved story or franchise. We need less muddled movies like Transformers and more coherent entries like Star Wars and Star Trek. We can only hope that the five Power Rangers are given the cinematic treatment they deserve.
What do you think? What are your thoughts on the Power Rangers reboot? Comment below.
