Fans of “Shrek”, “Gladiator”, “The Conjuring” and “Twister” will be delighted to hear that these movie franchises – some of which began decades ago – are now back at the forefront of the cinema scene. These big-screen classics are enjoying a new lease of life, thanks to studios that are keen to capitalise on their past successes to lure new and longtime moviegoers to movie theatres.
Case in point: Jan de Bont’s 1996 disaster movie “Twister” has just released its sequel: “Twisters”, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, opened in cinemas yesterday.
The “Shrek” animated movie franchise is returning with a fifth film scheduled to hit US cinemas on July 1, 2026 – a quarter-century after its original debut. For this long-awaited return, the original voices of the franchise’s main characters – Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz – will reprise their roles.
The co-director of “Minions: The Rise of Gru”, Brad Ableson, will be at the helm, along with “Shrek Forever After” producer Gina Shay and Illumination’s Chris Meledandri.
“Shrek” is just one example of the many movie sequels expected to hit theatres in the coming months. After “Furiosa“, the latest instalment in the “Mad Max” franchise, released in May, “Alien: Romulus” (in cinemas Aug 16), the fifth installment of “The Matrix” will be next to return.
Also upcoming? The fourth instalment of the “Conjuring” series, titled “The Conjuring: Last Rites”, which should mark the end of the franchise that launched in 2013. This final film is scheduled for release in September 2025.
Hollywood will also try to build on other commercial successes of yesteryear. For example, “Gladiator”, Ridley Scott’s cult classic released in 2000, is to get a sequel. The new project will focus on the character of Lucius, the nephew of Emperor Commodus – played by Joaquin Phoenix in the first movie – and son of Lucilla.
Paul Mescal will play Lucius alongside Pedro Pascal in the role of Marcus Acarius, a Roman general. Denzel Washington and “Stranger Things” star Joseph Quinn are also in the cast.
Nostalgia, the new golden goose
So, why are movie studios investing so heavily in these old-school franchises? For many years now, Hollywood has preferred to make something new out of something old, attracting audiences to cinemas with sequels, remakes, reboots, prequels and spin-offs.
This reassures audiences, who like to see a movie based on a well-known existing work, as well as producers, who know that this commercial formula works to help avoid box-office flops.
One solid recent example is the success of “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” on Netflix. The film, starring Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, scored the biggest Netflix movie premiere of the year in the week of its release.
Available since July 3, the comedy posted 41 million views during the week of July 1. And it was a worldwide success, as the new movie made it into the top 10 most-watched lists in 93 countries.
The business of nostalgia still seems to have a bright future ahead of it, even beyond the movie world. Indeed, the small screen is following suit, with podcasts reviving cult shows such as “Melrose Place” – which will reportedly be getting its own sequel soon.