The Top 5 Movie Reboots Ever

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1. Batman Begins (But, Really, The Entire Dark Knight Trilogy) (2005-2012)

It may seem hard to believe now, but trust me younger readers. For what felt like a lifetime, Batman was persona non grata in Hollywood. Warner Bros. had handed the keys to the Bat-verse to Joel Schumacher following the success of 1995’s Batman Forever alongside with a ton of the most stereotypical studio notes in film history. The studio wanted to get the sequel to ‘Forever out as quickly as possible while also making the film and the series more ‘toyetic’.

Schumacher delivered on the studio’s mandate with Batman & Robin (1997). A film so rushed, half-baked, so cynical and so nonsensical that it pales in comparison to most Kenner Superpowers Collection commercials. So universally reviled was the movie that it consigned Batman to development Hell for almost a decade.

Enter Christopher Nolan.

2005’s Batman Begins brought a level of naturalism and depth to Batman’s mythology which had been lacking even in Tim Burton’s celebrated 1989 original. Its 2008 sequel The Dark Knight upped the ante in every way and brought us a Joker for all time in Heath Ledger’s transcendent performance. While 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises could never hope to shine as brightly as it deserved to under the shadow of its predecessor, it remains an exquisitely crafted film that gives this iteration of Batman something that cinematic superheroes are rarely afforded… An ending.

Nolan’s mantra was the same as Richard Donner’s had been in 1978; verisimilitude. Every aspect of the mise-en-scene was dedicated to crafting a Gotham City that felt real and tangible, in stark contrast to the character’s more stylized previous incarnation.

Every aspect of these films is a masterclass in film making excellence from the performances by Christian Bale and his incredible supporting casts to the direction, production design and cinematography.

One could argue that the quality of the trilogy created a rod for Warner Bros. back with a benchmark for quality that few films could hope to match… but that’s a conversation for another post.

Honorable Mentions

As you can imagine, paring the plethora of Hollywood reboots down so that they can be counted on one hand is tricky. Here are some wonderful reboots which, by virtue of sheer authorial caprice, didn’t make the cut;

The Amazing Spider-Man: While it could be accused of trying to be Spider-Man Begins, Marc Webb’s Spidey reboot is nonetheless an earnest and well constructed endeavor that deserves more love.

The Planet Of The Apes: Tim Burton’s attempt to bring the classic film franchise sputtered out in the early ’00s. Nonetheless, a combination of clever scripting, sincere direction and an outstanding performance capture performance by Andy Serkis makes for a seminal trilogy.

Power Rangers: Dean Isrealite’s 2017 reboot of the mighty morphin’ quintet has way more heart, soul and authority than it has any right to. Drawing on The Breakfast Club and Chronicle the relationships between the titular characters are so beautifully crafted that it’s almost a shame when the superheroics start.

If you enjoyed this feature, be on the look out next week when we publish its sequel (or will it be a…soft reboot?)

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About Post Author

D L Keatis

By day D L Keatis (Dan to his friends) is a mild mannered copywriter and content strategist specializing in white label content for businesses. But when night falls and the forces of evil rise to cast a shadow on the heart of his native Manchester, he dons his tights, cape and domino mask and... Writes some more for CBR. You can find him on Twitter @DLKeatis. Like many developmentally challenged man-children born in the 1980s, he has an abiding love for Star Wars, comics, video games, action figures and all things animated. You can usually find him at his local comic book shop, coffee emporium or movie theater, or lovingly arranging his collection of Hot Toys (which he keeps in lieu of a proper pension plan). While he is able to write confidently on a range of subjects from business and SEO strategy to fitness and nutrition, he is at his happiest when writing about the comic book, movie and pop culture icons that inspired him as a child and continue to inspire him as a child approaching the age of 40.

dan@nerdifi.com