Haven't we waited long enough? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the franchises that are about to be revived years or even decades since originally releasing.
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00:00Maybe this will refresh your memory.
00:02I don't know, it's still kind of hazy.
00:04How about this?
00:05Yeah, I remember him. I used to see him around. Why do you want to know?
00:07I can't tell you that.
00:09Well, maybe this will help.
00:11Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the franchises that are about to be revived years or even decades since originally releasing.
00:25Number 10, Wolfman, Universal Monsters.
00:28What's wrong with Daddy?
00:32He got sick.
00:33He may be one of the first movie monsters, but he's hardly been portrayed through a modern lens, until now.
00:39The Wolfman debuted in 1941, and instantly proved to be influential within the genre.
00:44He became a staple throughout the 40s, starring alongside other famed fictional creatures.
00:48He met his fate in 1948's Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein.
01:00Since then, a 2010 remake has been the only time the character has returned in his most recognizable form to the big screen.
01:06However, that won't be the case for much longer.
01:09After having been in development for over a decade, the reboot is set to release in early 2025.
01:14It'll mark his first on-screen appearance in 15 years, effectively introducing him to a new generation of horror fans.
01:21Are we gonna die?
01:23No. It's my job to protect you.
01:27Number 9, The Naked Gun.
01:29Hey, who are you?
01:31I'm Lieutenant Frank Drebin, police squad.
01:34And don't ever let me catch you guys in America!
01:39Action and thriller films aren't the only genres that can be rebooted.
01:42Comedies can also receive the same treatment, such as the beloved Naked Gun series.
01:46The originals are a masterclass in slapstick, serving as a time capsule of the popular comedic styles of the time period.
01:53The first film, From the Files of Police Squad, was an instant hit and spawned two sequels, with the last one premiering in 1994.
02:00I could have two lovers.
02:03Kinky, but I like my sex the way I play basketball.
02:07One-on-one and with as little dribbling as possible.
02:11While the franchise was supposed to continue in the 2000s, financial issues kept it from seeing the light of day.
02:16In 2022, the fourth film was finally greenlit, with Liam Neeson starring as Frank Devin's son, and it was soon slated for a 2025 debut.
02:24Given how influential the first film's physical comedy was, viewers are eager to see it translated through a contemporary lens.
02:30Something tells me I'm into something good.
02:36I'm into something good.
02:40And then I wake up today in hospital, I wake up and I'm...
02:45I'm hallucinating or I'm...
02:48What's your name?
02:51Jim.
02:52It isn't often that a movie's title almost perfectly represents how long it took to come to fruition.
02:57While it may not have taken exactly 28 years for the prequel to 28 Days Later to be announced, it certainly felt like it.
03:03First debuting in 2022, the apocalyptic horror film became a standout within the genre.
03:08A sequel was released in 2007, and it appeared as though it would become a consistent series.
03:13Whatever happens...
03:15Is all f***ed.
03:20You heard all the radios.
03:22F***ed.
03:23However, copyright issues prevented that from happening.
03:26In early 2024, it was finally announced that 28 Years Later was officially in development, with Cillian Murphy returning to reprise his role.
03:33This third installation won't just serve as the film's series revival.
03:37It's planned as a launching pad for a brand new trilogy.
03:47Number seven, Fantastic Four.
03:50Hey, hey. Nice too.
03:52I'm liking the grandpa look.
03:54What?
03:55This foursome hasn't had the best luck with a film adaptation yet, but this next iteration could finally change that.
04:01When it comes to teams of heroes, the Fantastic Four isn't as revered as the Avengers or the Justice League.
04:06Every attempt to introduce them has been met with flak from critics and viewers,
04:10despite some box office success for the 2005 film making it difficult to turn the property into a legitimate series.
04:16Good thing you're flexible enough to watch your own back.
04:21However, Marvel isn't giving up on them just yet.
04:24A new project, the Fantastic Four First Steps, is set to come out in 2025,
04:29and will supposedly focus on a new story rather than the team's origins.
04:34With it having been a decade since the last attempt,
04:36fans are hopeful that the new Pedro Pascal-led version will be the group's first real cinematic success.
04:42Guys, I got it.
04:44Ready?
04:45Yeah.
04:46Number six, Tron.
04:48We've been working for a bigger platform for years.
04:52Now is the time to introduce it to the world.
04:55Given that it took almost 30 years for the first sequel to come out,
04:58it should come as no surprise that the third took another 15.
05:01Tron is highly influential,
05:03with the 1982 film being a trailblazer in computer-generated special effects.
05:07I'm your program.
05:10Another mouth to feed.
05:14The 2010 follow-up, Tron Legacy, was also praised for effects,
05:18even snagging an Oscar nomination,
05:20though the stories and characters received mixed reviews.
05:23Despite its sequel being greenlit in 2015,
05:25it was soon sent into development hell,
05:27where it resided for years before finally being revived.
05:30With a star-studded cast and the iconic Jeff Bridges coming back to reprise his role,
05:34many are hoping that 2025's Tron Ares will find success,
05:38and that the wait time for a follow-up movie will be even shorter.
05:41The adventure never ends.
05:46Number five, Blade.
05:48You got the best of both worlds, don't you?
05:51All our strengths, none of our weaknesses.
05:55Maybe I don't see it that way.
05:57Given how much they've committed to their cinematic universe,
05:59it's hard to imagine Marvel making anything else.
06:02However, the studio at one point attempted to market other kinds of characters,
06:06including Blade, a vampire hunter who also happens to be a human-vampire hybrid.
06:11Starring Wesley Snipes, the first three films in the series found financial success,
06:15but critical support waned with each subsequent film.
06:18From now on, we work as a unit.
06:21You've been taking orders from me.
06:26Any questions?
06:282004's Blade Trinity seemed to be the last hurrah for the character,
06:32especially after the planned prequel was cancelled in 2012.
06:35However, Marvel Studios eventually decided to integrate it into Phase 6 of their ongoing timeline,
06:40this time with Oscar winner Mahershala Ali playing the titular role.
06:44With a scheduled release in late 2025,
06:46the return could help the anti-hero reach the same heights as his heroic counterparts.
06:51There's still a war going on, and I have a job to do.
06:56You want to help? Make me a bed, sir.
07:02I remember that day.
07:05I never forgot it.
07:07That a slave could take revenge against an emperor.
07:11Even the most acclaimed pictures aren't guaranteed an automatic sequel.
07:15Gladiator is a true cinematic force.
07:17Not only did it win a staggering five Academy Awards,
07:20it's also still considered one of the best films of the 21st century so far.
07:24Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained?
07:28A follow-up was talked about in 2001,
07:31but a lengthy writing process and the rights being sold in 2006 halted it in its tracks.
07:36After over 20 years since the first premiering,
07:38production finally began with Gladiator 2 finally set to release in fall of 2024.
07:43With it taking place two decades after the first,
07:46everything from the characters to the plot will be new,
07:48and fans are eager to see just how well it will stack up after all this time.
07:52The general will do.
07:55Rome must fall.
07:58I need only give it a push.
08:00Only make it out alive.
08:06You might want to step back a little bit.
08:10Maybe a little bit more.
08:12Although it may not have felt like it,
08:14it has already been over a decade since The Man of Steel was last reimagined
08:17on the big screen with Henry Cavill.
08:19Superman has been reinterpreted several times throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.
08:23After the original series starring Christopher Reeve ended in 1987,
08:27the character was briefly reprised in the 2000s
08:29before making a full-scale return in 2013 in the DC Extended Universe.
08:33You know they say it's all downhill after the first kiss.
08:40I'm pretty sure the only character you kiss is a human.
08:43The new iteration was met with mixed results,
08:45leading support to dwindle early on.
08:47With the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery,
08:49the character was overhauled,
08:51with the reins being handed over to James Gunn in 2022.
08:54The newest version is set to come out mid-2025
08:57and will hopefully help redeem the hero from his past critical woes.
09:09How?
09:11He is the one.
09:12Just when you count The Matrix out,
09:14they pull us right back in.
09:16Despite producers claiming that the franchise had ended on multiple occasions,
09:19a fifth Matrix film is in the works at Warner Bros.,
09:22with Drew Goddard attached as writer and director.
09:25Whoa.
09:26Notably, this new installment will be the first film in the cinematic universe
09:30that isn't helmed by either Wachowski sibling.
09:33It's safe to say that The Matrix Resurrections
09:35wasn't the franchise-reviving hit that the studio had hoped it might be,
09:39so time will tell if this second attempt post the original trilogy will make a splash.
09:43They don't seem to be giving up on this story,
09:45so we won't underestimate just how deep this rabbit hole goes.
09:58Before we continue,
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10:16Wax on, right hand.
10:19Wax off, left hand.
10:22Some stories never get old,
10:24and this is definitely one of them.
10:26Containing several important lessons about resilience,
10:29the Karate Kid films have been widely beloved since 1984,
10:32while the originals were widely beloved on their own.
10:34It saw a revival in popularity following the release of 2010's The Karate Kid,
10:38starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.
10:40Despite being a box office smash
10:42and successfully introducing a new generation to the story,
10:45a sequel was never made.
10:46Until now.
10:47Set to come out in mid-2025,
10:49it'll star both Ralph Macchio and Chan,
10:52marking Daniel LaRusso's first big screen appearance since 1989.
10:55I just don't know if I knew enough karate, you know.
10:58Feeling correct.
11:00With a perfect blend of the old and new versions,
11:03combined with the small screen success of Cobra Kai,
11:05the sixth film in the franchise could lead to the property
11:07becoming a blockbuster movie hit once again.
11:13Wow!
11:17Are there any long, untouched franchises you'd like to see be rebooted?
11:21Let us know in the comments below.
11:23I want answers, cherry cakes.
11:25I love you.
11:26Wrong answer.
11:27I dropped out of the Sap of the Month Club a long time ago.
11:29Did you enjoy this video?
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