Hellboy
The temptation to use an existing concept for yourself can be big. At least, it seems to be these days. Even retellings and adaptations of public domain things might fall under this umbrella. So, what are some things you can do if you really want to create a reboot of something that wasn’t originally yours? Yes, I know many people will claim they have no interest and I agree. Just roll with the post.
- If you must do this, research the source material and figure out what made people enjoy it. This isn’t to make an identical copy, but to discern what earned the story its fandom. There has to be some reason people will go to a reboot beyond it simply having the name. Unless it’s a blatant cash grab and cry for attention. In that case . . . Just don’t touch other people’s things.
- Don’t start bashing the original within the context of the reboot. You’re trying to attract new fans while retaining the old. Insulting those who have supported the story prior to the reboot will cause an uproar. Guess this is a tactic for gaining free publicity and get some people to watch the movie out of spite. Could be spite for the haters, spite for the original story, or even the chance to knowledgably declare your spite on the Internet.
- There’s no reason that you can’t change things around, but there could be a limit. If you leave nothing resembling the original then you will have people wondering why you didn’t just make your own story. The point of a reboot was supposed to be that you revive a dying, dead, or sleeper franchise. This means you saw something in the original that you thought could work. Changing the whole thing around and keeping only the name is going to cause confusion.
- Rebooting a story that did terribly gives you more flexibility. Still, you need to have some of the original left. Maybe the characters or the world depending on if they worked out. Really depends on why the original failed. If it’s an issue of overall story then you’d need a big rewrite. If it failed due to a handful of characters that didn’t click them rework those. A bad story is one you’re trying to repair with a reboot because you see something worth your time.
- Be careful about how you talk about the original. You will have people expecting you to be a fan, which is where research can come into play. Saying you despise it will make your reboot come off as a project of hate. In general, audiences react better when they know the person behind the reboot loves what they are working on. Why take on a project that involves a story you hate instead of one you love?
- Make a list of stuff you want to keep. Make a list of stuff you want to get rid of. Make a list of what you need. Just make lists to organize your thoughts because going pantser on a pre-existing story could lead to trouble. At least, starting off that way.
- Maybe just don’t do a reboot and make an original story even if you’re using public domain stuff?
Legends of Windemere 
Great tips! I really appreciate #7! 😊
I saw the first two Hellboy movies because of Guillermo del Toro. Didn’t see the reboot. I don’t think it did well.
Your advice reminds me of some advice Shannon Hale, an author whose books I’ve read for years, gave about fairy tale retellings during a book signing: choose one you wish were different and then tell it the way you want it told. She wrote a novel I loved because I didn’t much care for the original either—one of the Grimm Brothers’s fairy tales, many of which I love and she does also. She wasn’t bashing fairy tales—just the one she had a problem with. She created a fully fleshed out story. What bothers me with some reboots these days is the stripping of aspects people loved about the originals and the blatant thumbing of the nose to fans who complain.
LikeLike
I didn’t see the Hellboy reboot either. I’m still annoyed that a third was never made to complete the original series. Think it was canned because the second movie did poorly. A lot of movies were destroyed that summer because it was when ‘The Dark Knight’ came out. The hype around that one was insane.
It does seem like the trend is to anger people by changing what they love. I forgot the term. Heard it a lot when ‘The Last Jedi’ came out. That seemed to start the whole thing where an established story is taken and certain changes were made solely to cause controversy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never understood the desire to deliberately cause controversy. For the watercooler effect? Controversy seems to be a marketable commodity, judging by how many YouTube videos are birthed to discuss the controversial elements. Also, subverting the expectations of others seems to be a goal. But that backfires sometimes.
LikeLike
Long ago, a controversy like this could create box office success. The haters would go at least once out of spite and to gather information on why they are right to hate it. The protectors would go multiple times solely to help the box office numbers to make the movie a success. It created a system where quality wasn’t as important as controversy, but it was done with more attention to quality. Now, there seems to be more focus on the hype than the actual product being made.
Subverting expectations. That’s the thing. Seems to be going too far these days. I’ve seen many create specific expectations with trailers and interviews, but then those are destroyed. It comes off as a cruel prank instead of good storytelling.
LikeLike
Very sensible advice, Charles. I would hope all rebooters had a chance to read this. Would make reboots so much better.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That would be nice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would.
LikeLike
I think you’re so right, the original version gained a following for a reason. It’s better to understand what worked than mock the fans of the existing installments.
But for me, #7 is best. An original story will stand or fail on its own, with nobody telling you that you got something wrong.
LikeLike
The mocking and instigating of fans is a sad trend. Don’t understand the point of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another interesting post. I’m not a fan. Some things are better left alone. I think a lot of it has the intent of using an intellectual property someone already owns, then relying on the nostalgia to bring people to the theater. I admit the using of public domain has produced some interesting tales. Dracula and Frankenstein will never die.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Nostalgia is a potent marketing scheme. Too bad it’s abused so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person