By Ian Camacho Cendejas,
Staff Writer.
Movie sequels and remakes are often met with high expectations from those who loved the originals but frequently fail to surpass their predecessors. Disney has faced criticism in recent years for producing an abundance of sequels and live-action remakes without creating any new content. This has led to concerns about an overreliance on established franchises and nostalgia to generate revenue. Many moviegoers believe that this trend has overshadowed the creation of original content.
For example, Inside Out 2 was released this year along with multiple remakes that debuted in 2023. At Disney’s annual D23 event, numerous sequels such as Incredibles 3, Moana 2 and a live-action Lilo and Stitch were announced, further fueling the debate about the prioritization of nostalgia-driven projects over fresh, innovative storytelling. While nostalgia has its place, it should not be prioritized over creativity and originality that can captivate and inspire a new generation of movie lovers.
Toy Story, a successful franchise with its first three movies, faced a challenge with its fourth movie and upcoming fifth movie. The original trilogy had a satisfying conclusion, but the decision to produce two additional movies seemed unnecessary and like a cash grab for the company. It does not make any sense for a company to continue producing more movies based on a solid original idea.
In the past, the hot topic of “unnecessary” sequels was the Star Wars franchise. Most new Star Wars movies outside the six with the main set of characters have lower ratings than the past movies. Fans around the globe have complained about the production of new movies, characters and messy plots. “The old movies were actually good while the newer movies are just a lot worse,” said senior Daniel Hockert. Since Disney took over, most of the films have gotten ratings of around 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. The majority of fans do not enjoy the confusion that the sequels contain.
There is a growing concern about the dependence on established franchises and nostalgia in the film industry. Many fans feel that this approach may overshadow the creation of original and innovative content, ultimately impacting the quality of storytelling and audience experience.
