Stop the Sequel Epidemic

Disney doesn’t need to make “Frozen III.” Honestly, it didn’t need to make “Frozen II.” But long gone are the days of stand-alone films and shiny new productions. The epidemic of sequels and remakes is upon us, leaving little room for the fresh ideas and original screenplays that give shine to the silver screen. 

A simple Google search for “upcoming movies” reveals a rather depressing scene —  a look into the diminishing vibrance of future red carpets. New releases are overwhelmed by sequels and remakes of films long past their prime, including “Gladiator II,” Lilo & Stitch” and the newest “Superman.” 

While an occasional remake gives a movie new perspective, the problem isn’t remakes and sequels — it’s that they’re dominating the landscape of the modern film industry. 

I’d be lying if I said the 2005 version of “Pride and Prejudice” wasn’t one of my favorite movies. While many adaptations of “Pride and Prejudice”  have been exhausted by the likes of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” and excessive modern spin-offs, the 2005 film did what a remake should do — it gave the story a new voice.  

As the only other accurate film adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel premiered in 1940. The over half-century wait left a generational gap in technology, interpretation and perspective between the two films. 

However, this can’t be said for all film series. While franchises are getting drawn out, intervals between the movies aren’t nearly enough to grant a fresh perspective. 

Warner Bros. is currently rebooting the DC Universe with “Superman.” Though the hero has already been depicted in many films, this adaptation is set to be a new version of “Man of Steel,” which came out in 2013. 

A new interpretation of “American Psycho” is in the works even though the last adaptation premiered in 2000.

“The Princess Diaries” was renewed for a third film last month, 20 years after the franchise was supposed to end. 

The 2024 remake of “Mean Girls” offered a musical twist on the 2004 classic. While a lot can change in 10 to 20 years, did “Mean Girls” really need a remake just because prom queens are now theater kids with access to TikTok instead of backstabbing 2000s villains with flip phones? 

While I was growing up, Disney movies were stand-alone fairytales. A new character meant a unique lesson and an original universe. Rather than exploring new ideas, “Frozen” is about to be a three-film franchise, and “Moana” is getting a sequel and live action reboot. 

So far, the top 10 highest-grossing movies of 2024 are all sequels, remakes or continuations of franchises. This seems unlikely to change with highly-anticipated movies like “Gladiator II” and “Mufasa: The Lion King” set to release later this year. 

There’s nothing inherently wrong with sequels and reboots. Sometimes stories need to be reinterpreted. Sometimes there are more lessons to be learned, more hearts to be touched.

But more often than not, the film industry needs a new voice, a new idea, a new perspective. It needs innovation and creativity to propel it forward. 

As Hollywood invests so much time and money into recreating movies or carrying on old plotlines, a world of possibility sits dormant. It seems as though originality has been displaced by the sequel — new ideas eclipsed by the old. 

While the box office currently boasts original movies like “We Live in Time” and “Saturday Night,” the list of recent and upcoming films show these new stories are the exception —  not the rule. 

Perhaps the sequel epidemic was born of financial incentive, or audience interest. Perhaps the SAG-AFTRA strike affected more than just production timelines and release dates. Or perhaps Hollywood has run out of new ideas. Maybe the film industry has already said all there is to say. 

Cinema has been around since the 1890s. It hasn’t withstood generations without reason. Movies can evoke laughter and tears, providing viewers with unique lessons and relatable experiences. Orginialty can’t cease to exist in film because films are watched to create unique experiences.  

It’s time to bring back the days of iconic rom-coms, inventive children’s movies and unique protagonists — perhaps the only way to cure the sequel epidemic.