Why Sequels, Remakes, and Reboots Are Destined to Fail

When you think of sequels, remakes, and reboots, what comes to mind? The recent onslaught of Disney live action movies? The never-ending Star Wars franchise? Or maybe the numerous reiterations of superheroes (6 Spider-Men, 43 Batmen, and a whopping 73 Supermen)? Despite studios’ attempts to appeal to nostalgia and build upon previous successes, audiences are slowly becoming less and less receptive to recycled franchises. But there’s a scientific explanation for our boredom and why it’s becoming an unspoken rule not to mess with the original. 

The tiring nature of never-ending franchises can be explained by three key words: Expectancy Violations Theory (EVT). EVT states that we all enter interactions with expectations as to how that specific interaction is going to play out based on societal normalities. When those expectations are subverted, we immediately decide whether this is a positive or negative violation, and that choice subsequently affects our perspective on the conversation as a whole. A common example of EVT is when a teacher curses in the classroom. Some view this as a positive violation, with the teacher being viewed as less uptight and conventional than other faculty members. However, others consider this type of behavior unprofessional, a viewpoint that affects their understanding of their instructor’s personality and may ruin a previously positive image of that person. 

Because sequels, remakes, and reboots are based off of previously existing material, you start watching or reading their content with more expectations than you normally would with a simple movie trailer or book synopsis. This provides more opportunities for your expectations to be violated in a negative way. For example, the live action Mulan recently flopped even among the Chinese market that the filmmakers were specifically trying to appeal to. In attempting to cater to a foreign audience and create a more realistic film, the creators made changes that violated audience’s expectations of what a live action Mulan film should and would look like based on both the animated film and the previous live action remakes that came out before it. By announcing their intentions to not make the movie a musical and also leaving out major characters (Mushu, Shang, etc.), Disney removed some of the most iconic parts of the original film. Such actions prevented audiences from experiencing the same nostalgia they would have otherwise, significantly decreasing audience interest in the film and leaving plenty of plotholes for critics to tear apart. Incredibles 2 received a less harsh, but similar, fate due to the fifteen-year gap between the original and the sequel. Fans were excited and immediately started picking apart the teasers and trailers. By figuring out the villain way before the film even released due to some clever wordplay (Evelyn Deavor = Evil Endeavor) and some simple plotlines, the complexity and originality of its predecessor was considered lost. Since audiences perceived a negative violation, the film was considered “good” rather than “great” and nowhere near the original’s standards. 

EVT does discuss the possibility of positive violations. YouTube Red’s (and now Netflix’s) reboot of The Karate Kid, Cobra Kai, has been well-received and was renewed for a fifth season before the fourth one even aired on December 31st. Cobra Kai flips audiences’ expectations on their heads in a good way by calling into question the morality of its leads, giving Johnny Lawrence a redemption arc while making Daniel LaRusso seem a bit stuck in his ways. By changing which characters we root for while still reminding us why we loved the original movies to begin with, the show balances positive violations with enough nostalgia to keep both new and old audiences hooked.            

High expectations can lead to high disappointment. It’s the reason book-to-movie adaptations, sequels, remakes, and reboots come under so much scrutiny. Because the main question isn’t “Is it good?” The main question is “Is it as good as the original?” It’s also the reason season finales like Game of Thrones and How I Met Your Mother are so disappointing (controversial bad writing aside). When you’ve spent so much time invested in a franchise’s outcome, you’re going to have high expectations for its ending. In some way shape or form, it’s not going to meet your expectations, and that can be devastating, both for you and for the project’s success.