There's always a sense of comfort in familiar things, a fondness for looking back on the past. That's never been more accurate than when reminiscing about favourite shows or movies.
This yearning for classics of yesteryear has been noticed by film studios which have led to a recent surge in movies and TV shows being remade. Viewers now have the chance to experience golden-oldies again, but with a fresh new finish.
Daring to reimagine a hit show can be a risky move as fans will be quick to criticise if it doesn't live up to expectations. However, many remakes have been a roaring success, replacing the originals in the minds of many.
Here’s a peek at just a few which have succeeded.
Disney Live Remakes
Feature-length Disney cartoon films may be years old, but they remain firm favourites to many adults. You'd need a heart made of stone not to feel moved by the sight of cartoon Belle shedding tears as she bends over the dying Beast.
However, Disney has managed the impossible and improved on some of their classic cartoons by creating live-action movies. Beauty and the Beast and Jungle Book have had live versions made, while Lion King received a photorealistic computer-animated remake in 2019.
Wheel of Fortune and Supermarket Sweep
It's not just the films that are enjoying a resurgence; many classic game shows are being reinvented for a modern audience.
The original Wheel of Fortune ran from 1988 to 1996, presented by Nicky Campbell. It was later brought back by John Leslie, Bradley Walsh and Paul Hendy, proving that its format continues to be popular, even decades later. This popularity has spilled over into other markets too, with the Wheel of Fortune Megaways slot a big hit with players. Branded slots are always in demand, and the fun of the Wheel of Fortune theme coupled with the lucrative Megaways mechanism has proven to be irresistible.
Supermarket Sweep has enjoyed similar fortunes, another daytime favourite that has been reinvented. Presented by the late Dale Winton for many years, in 2020, Rylan took over the role in a much-praised reboot. In fact, Rylan has been such a hit in the hot seat, and it almost seems as if he's been the presenter forever (no disrespect intended to Dale!).
The Justice League
It's fair to say that The Justice League isn't a classic film from long ago, but the controversy surrounding the different versions makes it a worthy contender for this list.
The film took a decade to complete. After initially being planned in 2007, it wasn't released in theatres until 2017. However, that only tells a fraction of the story.
Zack Snyder was the original director, and after creative disagreements with Warner Bros, he stepped down post-production, primarily due to his daughter's death. Joss Whedon took over and made substantial changes to the film, requiring two months of reshoots.
When Justice League was released, it was very different to the film that Snyder had originally promised fans.
Four years later, Justice League has been re-released: the Wes Snyder cut. Over four hours in length, it’s very different to Joss Whedon’s version. Dark, brooding and with emphasis on continuity and character-building, it’s the film that fans were clamouring to see.
While Whedon’s version is the original, many of the actors who appeared in both movies say that they consider Snyder’s version as the canonical one in the mythical universe.