The world can’t seem to get enough of superheroes, but what happens when all of our favourite heroes stories have been told? Do we get to see new and original stories with new superheroes? As far as Hollywood is concerned, it’s much safer to retell a story that works than to bank on a risky move. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, as recently we’ve been treated to some defining films of our age. The Dark Knight trilogy showed audiences that Batman doesn’t have to be dressed in tights or showing his nipples through his costume but can instead be a man trying to do the right thing and thrill us at the same time.
One of the more recent reboots that has caused a little stir among cinema goers is The Amazing Spider-Man. When this film was announced to replace the Sam Raimi films, fans drew mixed reactions. When the film finally came out, naysayers were silenced and Spider-Man fans cheered at a successful reboot with a stellar cast and great story telling. The whole film rested on the shoulders of Marc Webb, the director whose only previous film was the indie hit 500 Days of Summer. Webb showed his prowess at the helm and hired some up and coming actors alongside some cinema heroes to lead the film.
The film showed the younger days of Spider-Man, played by Andrew Garfield as he gains his powers whilst stopping a new foe in the form of mentor turned villain Curt Conners/The Lizard (Rhys Ifans). He’s accompanied by Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) as his love interest; her father Captain Stacey (Denis Leary); his Uncle Ben and Aunt May (Martin Sheen and Sally Field). The film received success both commercially and critically and did relatively well at the box office. Garfield and Stone both proved to the audience that they had the acting talents to bring Webb’s story to life in a new and interesting way.
Reboots are not necessarily signs of Hollywood giving up on new ideas but trying to give these heroes another chance of their stories being told to new audiences. With each generation, a new barrage of teenagers flock to the cinema to see stories of extraordinary people doing extraordinary things and keeping an audience interested can be a tricky thing. Each new reboot has to relate to an audience, and seeing a Superman film from the 1970’s may not be the most appealing thought for youngsters. Seeing a new Superman that has a new and exciting cast however, can.
Reboots are designed to attract newcomers to cinema and as much as it may displease some old fans, others can be amazed and what the results can bring; sometimes reboots can be better than original.
Additional Sources: Superhero Hype, Internet Movie Database