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Reboots can be divisive. Where modernizing an already beloved story has advantages, filmmakers must also honor its predecessors and respect the nostalgia it may hold for fans. Over the years, certain franchises found success in the way they balanced their reboots. FromChristopher Nolan’sTheDark Knight Trilogyto theRockyspin-offs in theCreedtrilogy — reviving a story is possible.
But success isn’t always guaranteed. More often than not, reboots are met with a lot of push-backs and are typically more scrutinized due to narrative familiarity. As such, many of them aren’t even given the opportunity to try again, leaving the franchise in a state of limbo.
Updated on July 03, 2025, by Jessie Nguyen:
Hollywood is currently embracing the idea of rebooting a well-known and successful franchise because filmmakers feel they can add new elements or venture into uncharted territories with an established plot. However, not many reboots are profitable or live up to the hype of the original ones, and these are some notable examples of how this trend goes wrong.
13’Superman Returns' (2006)
After several failed attempts to reboot the originalSupermanfranchise,Superman Returnswas finally developed and green-lit. WithBrandon Routhslated to dawn the cape after the masterful performance ofChristopher Reeve, expectations were high.RELATED:Movie Franchises That Have Been Rebooted Multiple Times
The movie received positive reviews and praise for its story and direction. It even did well at the box office as it became one of the highest-grossing films of 2006. Yet, for Warner Bros., its financial success wasn’t enough to follow through with the planned sequels. Luckily for Routh, he could still reprise his role as Superman in the Arrowverse crossover 13 years later.
12’Ghostbusters' (2016)
When news broke that Columbia Pictures was rebootingthe beloved ’80s horror-comedywith an all-female-led cast, the internet fell into an uproar. Even before the movie was released in cinemas, the newGhostbusters' IMDb page was bombarded with low ratings, indicating a consensus that fans didn’t want this franchise to be altered or revived in any new way.
With comedy queens at the helm, likeKate McKinnonandKristen Wiig, there was a chance that the film could’ve proved the haters wrong. Sadly, or possibly unsurprisingly, it became a box-office bomb and received mixed reviews. Columbia abandoned their plans for a sequel and instead chose to continue the story of the original franchise, thus, retconning the entirety of the 2016 film.
11’Ocean’s 8' (2018)
Serving as a continuation and a spin-off to the story of the great heist film franchise,Ocean’s 8follows its predecessors with a thrilling story and stacked A-list ensemble. With icons likeSandra Bullock,Cate Blanchett,Helena Bonham Carter, and even famed musicianRihanna– fans couldn’t wait for the film to hit the cinema.
In fact,Ocean’s 8did pretty well at the box office, grossing over$297 million against a $70 millionbudget. But like the other female-led movie on this list, it also received mixed reviews; however, most were leaning more towards positive thanks to the talents of its cast. Since then, there has been no official order for a sequel, yet some fans are still hopeful, especially with Bullock confirming that the cast is still actively speaking on their text chain.
10’Tomb Raider' (2018)
Based on the popular video game franchise of the same name,Tomb Raideris the third installment in the franchise and a reboot that follows Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander), a young woman working as a bicycle courier in London, struggling to make ends meet. She’s the daughter of a wealthy and enigmatic adventurer, Richard Croft (Dominic West), who went missing under mysterious circumstances.RELATED:Video Game-to-Movie Adaptations That Were Nothing Like the Games
It’s a largely pleasant action movie, despite the fact that it doesn’t exactly pioneer any new territory and suffers from weak scripting. A sequel was initially planned, with Vikander expected to return, however, it was shelved in 2022 after MGM’s rights to theTomb Raiderfranchise expired and Vikander stepped down from the role. However, earlier this year, it was reported thatPhoebe Waller-Bridgeis developing a Tomb Raider series for Amazon.
9’Charlie’s Angels' (2019)
Directed byElizabeth Banks,Charlie’s Angelsis a modern adaptation and continuation of the popular same-name franchise, which originally started as a TV series in the 1970s. The movie follows a new generation of female spies including Sabina (Kristen Stewart), Jane (Ella Balinska), and Elena (Naomi Scott), working for the mysterious Charles Townsend Agency.
In 2019, this film was ranked among one ofmajor box office letdowns. Despite its flashy appearance, it suffered from bad action scenes and questionable stunts. Even though Banks tried to revitalize the franchise with her vision, focusing on women’s issues, the film falls short of being emotionally impactful and stays primarily entertaining.
8’Power Rangers' (2017)
Where it’s technically the third installment to the feature film series,Power Rangersalsoserved as a reboot loosely based on the pilot episode of the iconic children’s superhero seriesMighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Before the film came out, producers were incredibly optimistic that it would spark a complete revival for a new young generation. In fact,Haim Sabantold Varietythat they “already [had] a six-movie story arc” prepped and ready. However, withPower Rangersbeing met with mixed reviews for its mishandling of the source material and its messy tone, and being a massive box-office bomb, none of the future films were green-lit.
7’RoboCop' (2014)
Like many other franchise reboots,RoboCopwas delayed for several years until it was officially made. Initially, the remake of the original 1987 film wasset to be directed byDarren Aronofsky; however, that project ended up falling through and into the hands ofJosé Padiha.RELATED:Every Attempt to Bring ‘RoboCop’ to TV
WithJoel Kinnamanset to play the titular character and a stacked supporting cast that included acting legends likeGary Oldman,Samuel L. Jackson, andMichael Keaton, fans were hopeful for its success. But alas,RoboCopwas met with mixed reviews. Praise was given to certain performances as well as some action sequences, yet, the film’s lack of violence and political satire was criticized, given that these were crucial aspects of the original movie franchise. However, earlier this year, it was reported thataRoboCopreboot is in the works.
6’Planet of the Apes' (2001)
Slated as a remake of the original 1968 film, the development of rebootingPlanet of the Apeslasted over 20 years with numerous script drafts and several rounds of potential directors. It wasn’t until the visionary director,Tim Burton, was attached that the movie went forward. The visuals, musical score, and prosthetic makeup were praised, but fans and critics questioned its plot and ending. The movie even did relatively well at the box office, with it having the second-highest opening weekend of any film. Unfortunately, the studio decided to scrap the sequel even before Burton made it clear that he’d want nothing to do with it.
Thankfully, by 2011,Rise of the Planet of the Apescame through and revived the franchise, with all three films receiving great fan, critical, and financial acclaim. The fourth film,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, serves as the fourth installment as well as the direct sequel to the 2017War of the Planet of the Apes, which will return to the big screen in 2024.
5’Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City' (2021)
Serving as a reboot of theResident Evilfilm franchise and based on the popular video game series,Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon Citytakes place in the titular city, a fictional and decaying Midwestern town that has been plagued by a mysterious virus outbreak, turning its inhabitants into bloodthirsty zombies and other deadly creatures.
The movie doesn’t give enough time to the characters for proper development, leaving fans of the original franchise less invested in their fates. Moreover, even thoughdirectorJohannes Robertsclosely follows theResident Evilvideo games, which fans might appreciate, the film’s different storylines don’t fit well together, and the script relies on clichés and generic characters.
4’Godzilla' (1998)
Hoping to reboot the iconic Japanese monster flick and introduce it into the Hollywood market, TriStar Pictures acquired the licensing forGodzillawith the approval of Toho C., Ltd.RELATED:Every Godzilla Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best
Even with Toho’s blessing as well as havingMatthew Broderickas the lead,Godzilladid not do all that well. Pinpointing the poor script, weak acting, and the odd redesign of Godzilla, TriStar’s original plan for a trilogy was abandoned. It wasn’t until years later, with Legendary Pictures, that Hollywood managed to kickstart their Monsterverse. The latest installment in the Reiwa era will return to the big screen on December 1st, 2023 under the title,Godzilla Minus One.
