According to Reddit, 2024 is being called “The Year of Sequels, Reboots, and Remakes” based on the number of sequels and remakes being released in the near future. With top cinema companies like Walt Disney and DreamWorks making several movies in a year, it is hard for other small companies to have a new and fulfilling movie idea. Movies and movie series like “Star Wars,” “Barbie,” and others are popular names, but do not bring any innovative ideas to the theaters. This leads to the companies making more sequels because of the money that these particular movies bring.
Levi Lazenby (10) is pleased with sequels, but thinks they are better if they are made for entertainment more than money.
“I think sequels are enjoyable, but it depends on how much I liked the original movie. I don’t like the sequels that are obviously made just for the money,” Lazenby said.
Companies like Walt Disney, Universal and DreamWorks have dropped in creativity recently, so much so that less than 51% of the movies coming out are originals. While audiences promote movie sequels, the main reason for sequels is money. The sequels can double what the original movie made. The Star Wars series is one of the most well-known movie series in history. The movies have many elements to build from creating another and making the movies enjoyable for the audiences. Disney has also found a way to market the series to help with popularity. Because there are so many movies in the Star Wars series, viewers wonder how many sequels many is too and when should they stop making the movies.
Paul Whisnant (11) thinks sequels are exceptional only when they continue the plot of the original movie.
“I enjoy sequels as long as they continue off of where the previous movie ended. If the previous movie ended with too many loose ends, then I’d prefer to watch something else,” Whisnant said.
Turning popular novels or video games into movies has become a trend in cinema. “The Hunger Games” and “Barbie” are examples of how movie companies are using past ideas to create a new era of movies. While this can be a terrific way to connect generations, some are upset at the way cinematic companies are not being original and for portraying characters in the wrong way. In a recent poll from Statista.com, asking if remakes should stay close to their originals, 55% of responders said yes. When books are turned into movies, there will likely be some changes. Luckily, with “The Hunger Games,” the changes had an overall good impact on the movies. Though breaking up the last book of the series, “Mockingjay,” into two movies, shows how cinematic companies make sequels and remakes mainly for the money.
Roslyn Owensby (9) enjoys sequels to movies and thinks they expand the plot of the original movie.
“I love movie sequels of all types because they broaden the stories and give more room for character development. Two I enjoy are ‘Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again’ and ‘Back to the Future 2,’” Owensby said.
