To Reboot Or To Not Reboot?

It's no shock, Hollywood loves to do remakes. Hollywood is after all a business and if the product will sell then the product will get made. The question is which films should be rebooted? We've all been to see those remakes that just don't live up to the originals. They are always so disappointing that you have to immediately re-watch the original just to get the other out of your head. Today I want to look at films that have been or will be rebooted.

The first three on the list are comic book films:

 

Batman was created by DC comics in 1939, first appearing in Detective Comics #27. He then became a TV show in the 1960s complete with "Bam" and "Pow". In 1989 Tim burton bought Batman to the screen with the film Batman which was followed with the sequel Batman Returns. Then Joel Schumacker took over with the films Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, which were nothing but a crime against the batman legacy. Then in 2005 Christopher Nolan took Batman to a darker place with Batman Begins. This film was brilliant and proved that some films should be rebooted. This was followed by the even greater The Dark Knight in 2008, with Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker wowing audiences. The Dark Knight Rises will be released in 2012 and I am anticipating nothing short of genius.

 

Superman, like Batman has been around a while. Also from DC comics he first appeared in 1938. In 1978 the film Superman was made with Christopher Reeve cast as Superman. The Sequel, Superman II was released in 1980, and Superman III in 1983. Superman was rebooted in 2006 by Bryan Singer with the film Superman Returns. It was a disappointing film. Superman will once again be rebooted in the film Man of Steel which will be released in 2013. Henry Cavill plays Superman and I can't lie, I'm eagerly anticipating this reboot.

   

Spider-man first appeared in 1962 in Marvel Comic's Amazing Fantasy #15. In 2002 Sam Raimi bought Spider-Man to the big screen with Spider-Man. Tobey Maguire played Spider-Man. Spider-Man 2 was released in 2004 and Spider-Man 3 was released in 2007. The first two films did well but the third received negative critique. Spider-Man is currently being rebooted with the film The Amazing Spider-Man, which will be released in 2012. Andrew Garfield plays Spiderman in the reboot.

I remember seeing Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes in 2001 and crushing on lead actor Mark Wahlberg. In hindsight the film wasn't very good. I love most films by Burton but found this one took on too much of a fairytale vibe as opposed to the darker vibe it needs. The 2011 reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes was exactly what I thought the film should be. This film shows the lead up to the planet of the apes and explains how it came to be. Andy Serkis was magnificent as Caesar.

Footloose is a cult classic from 1984. I've watched the film a few times and really enjoy the nostalgia of it all. It's a bit cheesy and the acting isn't exactly as it's best but the music is fun. The film was rebooted in  2011 and reviews haven't been kind. I think this is the case of a film that should have been left in the past.

I am a huge fan of Bourne. I read the trilogy and loved the films, even though they are really nothing like the books. Matt Damon's Bourne Trilogy is not the first time Bourne has been on screen. In 1988 The Bourne Identity was played as a telefilm. This film is actually much more accurate in regards to the first book, but is nowhere near as good as the Bourne films starring Damon. The film is about to be rebooted starring Jeremy Renner. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I really like Renner as an actor but I think it may be too soon for more Bourne films, especially ones without Damon.

I recently heard that they intend to reboot American Psycho and I'm not happy about it. The 2000 film starring Christian Bale is untouchable in my opinion. He was so brilliant as the psychotic Patrick Bateman. Bale is a hard act to follow in any film and I really think they should leave this alone. Don't fix something that isn't broken, as they say.

So that's a list of a few of the many films Hollywood has or will reboot. What are your favourite/most hated reboots?