Sequels are not new to Hollywood but getting it right by keeping people’s opinions and pop-cultural values in check is something the industry has been working on since the 80’s. Every weekend there are new movie releases in theatres and you will certainly find one to be a sequel, reboot, or one based on a book or game.
It’s 2024 and Hollywood is continuing its long and consistent track record of bringing back “cult classic” stories and turning them into sequels for the dedicated and passionate fan base – and we are sure this manoeuvre will go on for many more years to come.
What are cult classics?
Movies that didn’t do well during their initial theatrical release but subsequently captured a very niche audience are usually know as cult films. They are not a complete failure, usually achieve modest success. Although many of them fail to land a sequel or a reboot, essentially due to critical indifference or numbers earned at the box office, some have stood the test of time to date.
Is it the direction, the plot, or the quality that makes a film a “cult classic”? Well, we say it’s everything. The respect and recognition that these films receive over the years make them mainstream and it is certainly something that only the audience can give.
While ‘Saw’, ‘Mission Impossible’, ‘Fast & Furious’, ‘Kung Fu Panda’, ‘Avatar’, ‘Star Wars’, and ‘Jurassic Park’, have their dedicated fans, recent films like ‘Barbie’, ‘Oppenheimer’, and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’, to name a few, are the epitome of individual success.
Let’s take a quick peek at these movies – ranging from explosive blockbusters to those that although couldn’t make big figures at the box office, remain evergreen.
Elf
Directed by Jon Favreau and starring Will Ferrell, the 2003 movie Elf is one of the most famous Christmas movies to date, even after 20 years of its release. The film became a major critical and commercial success and achieved a cult-classic status. Elf follows Buddy (Will Ferrell), a human who is raised by Santa’s elves after accidentally getting delivered to the North Pole as a baby. After growing up, he decides to travel to New York City in search of his biological father. Watch the trailer here:
Mean Girls
Released in 2004, ‘Mean Girls’ is arguably one of the most fan-favourite teen comedies. Due to its fantastic direction, relevant storyline, and cast, it achieved a total cult classic status and was a box office hit. Directed by Mark Waters, the film stars Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron who gets on the bad side of The Plastics, the A-list girl gang at her new school after falling for Aaron Samuels, ex-boyfriend to the Plastic queen bee, Regina George. Watch the trailer here.
This year opened with a ‘Mean Girls’ musical reboot. Angourie Rice and Reneé Rapp played Cady Heron and Regina George, respectively. The film received mixed reviews and was a box-office success, but nothing compared to its OG counterpart.
Edward Scissorhands
Directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder, the 1990 fantasy romance ‘Edward Scissorhands’ is a treasured cult classic goth film. However, it struggled to connect with audiences when it initially premiered. The film tells the story of an unfinished artificial humanoid named Edward who has scissor hands. Taken in by a suburban family, he falls in love with their daughter but is blamed for a crime he did not commit. Sounds familiar? Watch the trailer here.
The Notebook
Fans of romance movies, we know how much you love ‘The Notebook’. Released in 2004, the film is adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ first novel of the same name. While the film has many flaws, the enduring love story of mill worker Noah Calhoun (played by Ryan Gosling) and rich girl Allie (played by Rachel McAdams) tugged at viewers’ heartstrings; we could definitely point at the socioeconomic dynamic for the same. Watch the trailer here.
Home Alone
The 1990 Christmas comedy film ‘Home Alone’ was directed by Chris Columbus. It is one of the biggest family films of all time as it was able to stay on the first spot for twelve weeks back in the 1990s. Starring Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old kid who gets accidentally left behind by his family on a trip to France, is loved by all. The child’s rivalry with Marv and Harry, two grown adult men attempting to rob his house is funny and heartwarming. Yep, okay we’re watching it again this Christmas. Watch the trailer here.
The Devil Wears Prada
‘The Devil Wears Prada’ is and will remain the most epic representation of fashion and journalism that one can never get enough of. Directed by David Frankel, the film follows Andy Sachs (played by Anne Hathaway), a recent college graduate who lands a job at the prestigious Runway magazine as an assistant to cynical editor Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep). Watch the trailer here. That’s all!
PS: It has been reported that a sequel to the famed ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ is in development at Disney, and we’re beyond thrilled.
Freaky Friday
Helmed by Mark Waters, the 2003 film ‘Freaky Friday’ received household status due to its relationship portrayal between parents and teens. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as mother-daughter duo Tess and Anna Coleman who do not get along, the film portrays their relationship after a freak incident, which resulted in body swap. Watch the trailer here.
With a promise to arrive sometime in 2025, the follow-up ‘Freaky Friday’ film will star both Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as well as Chad Michael Murray who will be reprising his role as Jake.
With sequels and reboots of “cult classics” like ‘28 Days Later’, ‘Karate Kid’, ‘Gladiator’, ‘Bridget Jones’, ‘Shrek’, and ‘The Lion King’ making a comeback to the big screens, it is safe to say that Hollywood has cleverly mastered the power of nostalgia – for better or for worse.
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