Summary
It’s natural for long-running movie franchises to make some changes along the way, but some franchises become practically unrecognizable. Not all movies are designed with longevity in mind, and they can quickly become victims of their own success. When a movie spawns a big franchise, it often requires a rethink and a change of plan. Otherwise, a franchise can quickly become repetitive.
Manymovie franchises change their caststo freshen things up, but getting rid of big stars is a common reason why franchises often lose their soul. It’s always important for a franchise to understand what fans are most interested in. More often than not, this tends to be the story and the characters, no matter how many explosive stunts and impressive effects there are. Too much meddling can lead to franchises that have nothing in common with the original movies which created them.
10 Movie Franchises That Reinvented Themselves To Continue Being Successful
Long-running movie franchises tend to run out of steam after a while, but they can still remain popular by taking a big risk on a new idea.
10Fast & Furious
First Movie: The Fast And The Furious (2001)
2001’sThe Fast and the Furiousis a great crime thriller about a gang of street racers. It has been described asPoint Breakwith cars, as Paul Walker plays an undercover cop who eventually forms a deep connection with the people he’s supposed to be putting behind bars.The first movie didn’t need a sequel at all, but its immense success quickly spawned an entire franchise.
to sustain itself over so many years, the franchise has expanded the narrative to include international espionage and more elaborate heists.
The initial concept ofThe Fast and the Furiousisn’t suited to a long-running franchise. In order to sustain itself over so many years, the franchise has diversified its action sequences, and expanded the narrative to include international espionage and more elaborate heists. Starting with Dwayne Johnson’s introduction inFast Five,the franchise also attempted more ridiculous stunts, capped by Roman and Tej driving a car into space. TheeleventhFast and Furiousmovieis set to end the franchise with a bang.
9James Bond
First Movie: Dr. No (1962)
Any movie franchise that lasts for over 60 years is bound to go through plenty of changes. James Bond first strutted on to the screen in 1962, with Sean Connery embodying the character’s suave style inDr. No.Since then, five other actors have taken on the role of 007, with each era of the franchise offering a different tone. After Daniel Craig’s farewell inNo Time to Die,the franchise is set for another huge change.
After Daniel Craig’s farewell inNo Time to Die,the franchise is set for another huge change.
While theBondfranchise has changed a lot, it’s equally surprising thatDr. Noestablished so many elements that persist through to the modern day. There is a psychotic villain in a hidden lair, a thrilling car chase, and several “Bond girls”.There have been rumors thatBond 26could return to the 1960s, thereby bringing the franchise full circle.The movies have become more action-packed sinceDr. No,so it would be interesting to see the franchise injecting modern filmmaking trends into the stylish period setting of Connery’s age.
8King Kong
First Movie: King Kong (1933)
1933’sKing Kongwas a hugely influential sci-fi movie, and its stop-motion animation techniques were revolutionary. With the franchise’s 100th anniversary in sight, theKing Kongmovieshave evolved many times.The franchise has always been at the cutting-edge of cinematic spectacle, with Peter Jackson’s motion-capture in 2005 and the recent wave of CGI inKongmovies producing realistic images.
The franchise’s commitment to crowd-pleasing blockbuster entertainment has stayed the same, even while everything else has changed.
King Kong had his first battle with Godzilla in 1962’sKing Kong vs. Godzilla.Since then, theKing KongandGodzillafranchises have inspired each other to reach new heights. Looking at the difference between 1933’sKing Kongand 2024’sGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire,it’s clear that the franchise’s commitment to crowd-pleasing blockbuster entertainment has stayed the same, even while everything else has changed.
7Mission: Impossible
First Movie: Mission: Impossible (1996)
Mission: Impossiblehas evolved into one of the greatest action franchises of all time, but the first movie has relatively few action scenes. Aside from the climactic chase, where a helicopter ducks into a railway tunnel, 1996’sMission: Impossibledelivers its action in sparse bursts. The focus of the movie is the game of cat-and-mouse between Ethan Hunt and the CIA, as he embarks on a one-man mole hunt.
To mirror the more intense plots, the action scenes have also become more eye-catching.
The stakes have been raised with each entry into theMission: Impossiblefranchise. In the first movie, Ethan is trying to save his own skin, but the more recent movies all focus on the fate of the entire world. To mirror the more intense plots, the action scenes have also become more eye-catching.Mission: Impossible’s stuntsseem to get more ambitious with each entry, as Tom Cruise and the stunt team attempt to outdo themselves.
6Jurassic Park
First Movie: Jurassic Park (1993)
The firstJurassic Parkmovie didn’t need a sequel, but it created such a rich and detailed world that there was plenty more to expand upon. The franchise has struggled to recapture the originality and impact of Steven Spielberg’s first movie, despite numerous attempts to add in some fresh ideas.The latest movies have introduced more sci-fi concepts, like the divisive Indominus Rex, a hybrid dinosaur.
WithJurassic World 4racing toward a summer 2025 release date, the franchise looks set to reinvent itself once again.
After the originalJurassic Parktrilogy, the franchise was revived with a new name. TheJurassic Worldtrilogy may have been financially successful, but it failed to win over critics. The character-driven storytelling that madeJurassic Parkso compelling has been replaced with CGI-heavy action. WithJurassic World 4racing toward a summer 2025 release date, the franchise looks set to reinvent itself once again.
5Star Wars
First Movie: Star Wars (1977)
Star Warswas an immediate sensation when it premiered in 1977, but there was still no way of telling just how big the franchise would soon become. There have now been nine movies in the Skywalker saga, as well as two spinoff movies to expand on the universe. This is just the tip of the iceberg, however, asthere are countless TV shows, video games, comic books and novels.
The Disney era ofStar Warshas changed some of the key tenets of the franchise, with movies likeThe Last JediandRogue Onebeing particularly experimental.
Since Disney took over the franchise,Star Warshas changed beyond recognition. Some of these changes have been positive, but many of them have been controversial at best. The Disney era ofStar Warshas changed some of the key tenets of the franchise, with movies likeThe Last JediandRogue Onebeing particularly experimental. They have questioned the nature of the force and the roles of key characters from the original trilogy.
4Batman
First Movie: Batman: The Movie (1966)
Although Batman first appeared on the big screen in a theatrical serial in 1943, this wouldn’t be considered a movie by today’s standards. The Dark Knight’s real movie debut is widely accepted to be 1966’sBatman: The Movie,a spinoff from the TV series starring Adam West. The movie continues the campy aesthetic and the cartoonish sound effects of the popular TV show.
Adam West and Robert Pattinson’s versions of Batman have almost nothing in common.
More recently,Batmanmovies have been trending towards darkness. Tim Burton kicked this off with his nightmarish dystopian vision of Gotham in 1989. Christopher Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy incorporated elements of crime dramas, and Matt Reeves’The Batmanis even moodier and more pessimistic. Adam West and Robert Pattinson’s versions of Batman have almost nothing in common.
3Rocky
First Movie: Rocky (1976)
1976’sRockymade a star out of Sylvester Stallone, and it helped shape the future of sports movies. The underdog story felt more grounded and relatable than other aspirational movies in the genre, thanks to the dialogue and the characterization that took place outside the ring. The franchise has had plenty of ups and downs since then, but each movie has taken a step away from the realism of the original.
Stallone doesn’t appear inCreed III, meaning that the movie has very little in common withRocky,other than boxing.
WithRocky IVintroducing a robot butler and a Soviet boxer who seems like a superhuman killing machine, it took the franchise to a strange place that it could never return from.TheCreedmovies have been closer in tone toRocky,although Rocky Balboa has been receding into the background. Stallone doesn’t appear inCreed III, meaning that the movie has very little in common withRocky,other than boxing.
2Planet Of The Apes
First Movie: Planet Of The Apes (1968)
EachPlanet of the Apesmovie from the franchise’s original series took a step further away from the outline of the first movie. They each developed the world and the characters, even if none of them could recapture the magic of the original. The reboot series, beginning with 2011’sRise of the Planet of the Apes, has been almost unrecognizable, partly because of its groundbreaking visual effects.
The reboot series has been almost unrecognizable, partly because of its groundbreaking visual effects.
The prequels don’t feature the same characters from 1968’sPlanet of the Apes.Each movie has provided another chapter in the story of how Earth became the dominion of apes, starting from the outbreak of the virus. The focus isn’t on how humans respond in the postapocalyptic dystopia, as the apes are the stars and the most sympathetic characters.The action scenes have also taken a huge leap forward.
1Ghostbusters
First Movie: Ghostbusters (1984)
The firstGhostbustersmovie is a hilarious buddy comedy about a group of friends starting a new business together. The latest entries in the franchise have a completely different tone, treating the original stars with great reverence. While the original story deserves respect, it doesn’t need to be mythologized. The humor ofAfterlifeandFrozen Empirelacks the organic rhythm that comes with having great comedic actors in the lead roles.
The latest entries in the franchise have a completely different tone, treating the original stars with great reverence.
The latestGhostbustersmovies have been more child-oriented.Kids always loved the originalGhostbusters,but there are parts of it which aren’t designed to appeal to children. With younger actors in starring roles, the newGhostbustersmovies signaled their intent from the beginning. There may be ghosts and proton packs, but these Ghostbusters are a different breed to Venkman, Spengler and Stantz.
