Sequels, Reboots and Remakes Part 2

Previously in Part 1, we looked at the history of sequels, reboots and remakes and, in doing so, determined these types of movies are not new and are not going anywhere; and that's our fault! This time, I want to challenge the widely held belief that this is a bad thing for movies.

In 2012, an original film (original here strictly meaning not a sequel, reboot or remake) was released about three teenagers who obtain superpowers. Shot in a handheld, found footage style, Chronicle went on to be lauded by fans and critics for its refreshing take on the superpowered teen movie. And with a budget of around $12 million, the $128.6 million it has made since it's release easily makes it a financial success. Fans like to point to Chronicle as an example of what happens when Hollywood gets out of the way and let's original movies happen. But people forget that the same company that made Chronicle also made X-Men: First Class which is a perfect embodiment of all three now-taboo types of film.

X-Men: First Class had a budget of $160 million and has made over $380 million since its release. That's $220 million dollars over budget; and while sure, the final cost of making a movie and the other companies involved mean not all of the $220 million went to Fox, I'm positive their cut was very nice!

My point is this: due to their built-in audiences and wide appeal, sequels, reboots and remakes usually make LOTS of money. As an investor, companies like Fox make a nice pile of change on films like X-Men: First Class. When the money is good, studios may find themselves with an extra 12 to 25 million lying around and can afford to take risks on other projects like Chronicle that may not have those built in audiences with recognizable and beloved characters. Therefore sequels and such are good for the industry because they help studios be able to afford those original films.

So that's it for my analysis of sequels, reboots and remakes. I know most people will still say they're tired off them, but I hope now you can at least see the other side.