Summary
Warning: Spoilers For Deadpool & Wolverine Ahead!Nostalgia bait can be one of the most frustrating parts about a movie, particularly in the modern era of cinema where remakes, sequels, and adaptations are very common. It is a tool that can often seem cheap, overused, or some combination of both of these. However, other times,nostalgia bait is executed very well, not just for the sake of fan service, but in a way that adds to the intrigue of the movie’s narrative and its characters.
Whether it’s througha movie’s use of a well-placed cameo, or one that has the utmost respect for its source material, nostalgia bait needn’t be wholly written off as lazy film-making. Certain movies can demonstrate nostalgia bait’s true potential, honoring the legacy of beloved franchises while acting as an open door for new and exciting material. When used badly, nostalgia bait can be one of the worst parts of a movie and even leave viewers confused, asis what happened inThe Flash, but when used effectively, it can elevate the movie to unprecedented heights.
10Five Nights At Freddy’s (2023)
Adapted From The Five Night’s At Freddy’s Video Game Franchise (2014-Present)
Five Nights at Freddy’swas a horror movie under a lot of pressure when it first released, as it had to bear the weight of the beloved titular video game franchise into a movie while providing a fresh and compelling narrative. Its respect for theFive Nights at Freddy’sfranchise is evident through its excellent use of nostalgia bait. It’s a movie that manages to balance appealing to existing fans of the franchise while bringing in new audiences.
From the unchanged designs of the iconic animatronics, the prevalent use of jump scares, and of course, William Afton’s (Matthew Lillard) final line being “I always come back”,Five Nights at Freddy’sis a movie that feels like it truly understandswhat fans of the original games wanted.It is not a perfect movie adaptation by any stretch, but it captures the core essence of what made theFive Nights at Freddy’sgames so popular and loved. It delivers the nostalgia in perfect portions, leaving enough room to tell a creative and engaging story.
9Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
The Clever And Joyous Sequel To Mamma Mia! (2008)
Even before its use of nostalgia bait was revealed, it was clear thatMamma Mia! Here We Go Againwould follow in the footsteps of its 2008 predecessor in the most important way - it would be a musical movie full of life, charm, and joy. As it acts as both a prequel and sequel toMamma Mia!, the movie has the unique ability to create the perfect blend of nostalgia and genuine creativity as it tells the now deceased Donna’s (Lily James/Meryl Streep) backstory and focuses on her daughter Sophie’s (Amanda Seyfried) attempts to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
As it acts as both a prequel and sequel toMamma Mia!, the movie has the unique ability to create the perfect blend of nostalgia and genuine creativity as it tells the now deceased Donna’s backstory and focuses on her daughter Sophie’s attempts to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
Audiences finally see how Donna met Sam (Jeremy Irvine/Pierce Brosnan), Bill (Josh Dylan/Stellan Skarsgård), and Harry (Hugh Skinner/Colin Firth), a narrative that works as a nostalgic experience while also telling a brand-new story. A short cameo by Meryl Streep in the movie’s final scene, and the return ofthe ever-iconic ABBA song,Dancing Queen, to the soundtrack act as the cherries on top of a wonderful nostalgic, yet refreshing movie.Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’s clever use of nostalgia bait means thatit works as a prequel, a sequel, and even as a stand-alone movie.
8Halloween (2018)
A Fantastic Sequel To Halloween (1978)
Despite there being nine movies in theHalloweenfranchise released between the 1978 original and the 2018 sequel,Halloween(2018) disregards those movies entirely from its plot. Because the movie is a direct sequel toHalloween(1978), the movie easily returns to the roots of what made the original so terrifyingly iconic, albeit with a modern twist on the tale. Nostalgia bait is just one of the key factors that contributed toHalloween’s critical and commercial success when it was released in 2018.
There are numerous thematic nods to the original, including the use of John Carpenter’s legendary score, which continues to play a key part in making Michael Myers' presence terrifying. There is also a new twist instilled in a recreation of the famous closet sequence, which acted as a crucial plot point of the 1978 movie’s final act, showcasing Halloween’s ability to use the success of the original to create something truly special. Halloween (2018) is a relatively simple slasher, just like the 1978 original, and it is the nostalgic nods to this movie that makes the movie so endearing for both new and old fans.
7Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Misunderstood Sequel To The Ghostbusters Duology (1984-1989)
After the commercial failure of the 2016 reboot, Sony opted to provide a canonical sequel to the iconic 80s comedy series with the release ofGhostbusters: Afterlifein 2021. It is a movie that has often made headlines for its nostalgia bait, and not always for good reasons, with some critics arguing thatAfterlifefocuses too much on fan service at the expense of a compelling narrative (viaKotaku). While the recycling of Gozer as the movie’s antagonist did feel slightly lazy, it’s also arguable thatAfterlife’s nostalgia bait is incredibly overcriticized.
Of course, there are proton packs and the return of the Ecto-1, butAfterlifegoes further than that, featuring all four original Ghostbustersin the story. This is where the movie is criticized for it’s overuse of nostalgic fan service, but this appears to be a misunderstanding. Seeing the original Ghostbusters alongsideAfterlife’s young cast evokes a true sense of the passing of the torch, and also acts asa touching tribute to Harold Ramis, the man who played Egon Spengler in the original and co-wrote it alongside fellow Ghostbuster, Dan Aykroyd.
6Jurassic World (2015)
Refreshing Sequel To The Jurassic Park Trilogy (1993-2001)
Jurassic Worldhelped to revitalize the belovedJurassic Parkfranchiseby building upon the nostalgia and success of the 1993 original. Yes, the plot is certainly very similar, telling the story of escaped dinosaurs, butJurassic Worldgoes far beyond this. It’s a movie that builds a sense of continuity to the iconic original using nostalgic references but also has a lot to say for it’s intriguing story and brand-new characters.
Seeing BD Wong return as Dr. Henry Wu is also a welcome and his new villainous role once again demonstrates the movie’s ability to take certain features of the original, but tweak them in a way that keeps theJurassic Parkfranchise fresh.
For example, the originalJurassic Parkmovie portrayed the velociraptors as vicious killing machines, and while they retain this trait inJurassic World, the movie builds on the universe’s lore by having Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) train them. The notion that dinosaurs can be domesticated adds a whole new and exciting dimension to the franchise, which evidently has a lot of respect for the 1993 movie as well. Seeing BD Wong return as Dr. Henry Wu is also a welcome and his new villainous role once again demonstrates the movie’s ability to take certain features of the original, but tweak them in a way that keeps theJurassic Parkfranchise fresh.
5Avengers: Endgame (2019)
The Climax Of The MCU’s Infinity Saga (2008-2019)
A movie that acted as the culmination of 11 years of the MCU,Avengers: Endgamehad an enormous amount of pressure on its shoulders, pressure that ended up making a true diamond of a movie. Considering that the majority ofEndgame’s narrative revolves around the Avengers traveling back in time to key moments in the MCU, it is a movie that doesn’t feel like it overuses nostalgia baiting specifically for fan service. It is, ultimately, a careful balancing act between the past and the present.
From the recreation of the Battle of New York, to Thor revisiting Asgard,Endgameis clearly full of nostalgic, crowd-pleasing moments. However, it is this nostalgia that seems toamplify the emotional and material stakes at play in the movie. Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr) fatal sacrifice at the end of the movie is not only a call-back to when Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) criticized him for not being “the guy to make the sacrifice play”, but also signals the end of the character’s 11-year-long arc.Endgameis probably the most famous exampleof a movie using nostalgia to elevate its storytelling, and it is clear to see why.
4Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
Sequel To The Two Live-Action Star Wars Trilogies (1977-2005)
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakenswas a seminal moment in movie history, not just for its box office numbers, but for how it reignited theStar Warsfranchise for a new generation. It managed to achieve this watershed status by drawing heavily on the themes and characters of the originalStar Warstrilogy, but used this nostalgia to depict a new story full of excitement. Perhaps the most famous use of nostalgia bait ever, it only takes a quick glance at audience reactions to seeing the Millennium Falcon inThe Force Awakens' trailer to realize the true cultural impact of a movie built off of its predecessors.
It’s a thrilling movie that expertly uses nostalgia to rekindle the love for a galaxy far, far away for a whole new generation.
Its story may be criticized for being derivative ofEpisode IV - A New Hope, but this by no means diminishesthe nostalgic excitement thatThe Force Awakenshas to offer. From Kylo Ren’s (Adam Driver) cracked T-shaped lightsaber, to the return of Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill),The Force Awakensbridged the gap between those who had seen the original trilogy release, and those just starting to get into the franchise. It’s a thrilling movie that expertly uses nostalgia to rekindle the love for a galaxy far, far away for a whole new generation.
3Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
An Insanely Fun Installment To The MCU (2008-Present)
A pairing that fans of Marvel had wanted to see for years finally came to be with the release ofDeadpool & Wolverine. This is a movie that acts as a blueprint for how to do nostalgia baiting effectively for the movies of the future. At the time of writing,Deadpool & Wolverinehas grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide in just over a month, a major success that is largely due to the movie’s excellent blending of character chemistry with a clever take on nostalgia (viaBoxOfficeMojo).
Of course, witnessing the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is the movie’s primary, and most public, nostalgic appeal, butDeadpool & Wolverinegoes far deeper than this. Includinga vast array of cameos from across live-action Marvel movies(not just limited to the MCU), the movie uses this mountain of nostalgia to provide endings for characters including Blade (Wesley Snipes) and Elektra (Jennifer Garner). Its approach to fan service is both meta and novel, using nostalgia bait as a means to propel its narrative forwards, anchoring the two titular heroes to a story full of chaos, emotion, and excitement.
El Caminoserves as an epilogue to the highly acclaimed TV showBreaking Bad, telling the story of Jesse (Aaron Paul) following his escape from torture and imprisonment. As the narrative progresses, the nostalgia for Breaking Bad really kicks in, with Jesse having to face the ghosts of his past, featuring flashback cameos of numerous iconic characters from the TV series. AsEl Caminowas directed and written byBreaking Bad’s creator Vince Gilligan, it’s a movie that makes audiences feel like they never left the show.
El Camino captures all the nostalgia that madeBreaking Badso special, and uses this to deliver a story that truly feels essential, rather than just an afterthought. It provides much-needed closure to Jesse, while also featuring a scene with Walter White (Bryan Cranston). This scene, while certainly acting as nostalgia bait and fan service, also re-emphasizes the incredible chemistry between Walter and Jesse, and adds another level of depth and intrigue to the characters and their dynamic.
1Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Sequel To Top Gun (1986)
A sequel that is truly worthy of the metaphorical “Better Than The Original” title,Top Gun: Maverickis a masterclass in how to do nostalgia bait correctly. It taps in to the aesthetic and drama of the 1986 original, highlighting a level of continuity while also providing a brand-new story featuring brand-new characters. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s (Tom Cruise) is obviously the primary source of nostalgia for many fans of the original here, but it is the callbacks and references in other areas that truly makesMaverickan incredible movie.
It’s a movie that, while supported by nostalgia, isn’t dependent on it and doesn’t use it in superficial ways.
From the opening scene set to Kenny Loggins' “Danger Zone”, to the mirroring of the student-mentor relationship, and of course, the return of the iconic leather jacket and sunglasses,Maverickhonors the originalTop Gunin the best possible way. It’s a movie that, while supported by nostalgia, isn’t dependent on it and doesn’t use it in superficial ways. Emotional weight is added to the story through the return of Iceman (Val Kilmer), and pushes Maverick himself forward to constantly change while remaining true to his core, rebellious values.
