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In serial fiction, a reboot is a work that is meant to discard all continuity in an established fictional universe, work, or series in order to recreate its characters, timeline and backstory from the beginning. The term is used with respect to various different forms of fictional media such as comic books, television shows, video games, and films among others. The term differs from "remake", which is usually applied to standalone works that are not part of a continuity. For television series, "reboot" and "remake" are often used synonymously, since, with a few exceptions, there is generally no expectation that a TV series will keep the continuity of a previous one.

The term "soft reboot" is used for a film or other work that functions as both a reboot and a sequel - that is, it takes place in the same fictional universe as previous works, but involves new characters, though the new characters and/or plots resemble those of previous works in the series. The year 2015 especially saw many films that were described by critics as soft reboots, including Jurassic World, Terminator Genisys, Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Creed and Vacation.

Etymology

The term is thought to originate from the computer term reboot, meaning to restart a computer system.

Types

Reboots remove any non-essential elements associated with a franchise and start it anew, distilling it down to the core elements that make it popular. For audiences, reboots allow easier entry for newcomers unfamiliar with earlier titles in a series.

Film

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With reboots, filmmakers revamp and reinvigorate a film series in order to attract new fans and stimulate revenue. A reboot can renew interest in a series that has grown stale. Reboots act as a safe project for a studio, as a reboot with an established fanbase is less risky (in terms of expected profit) than an entirely original work, while at the same time allowing the studio to explore new demographics. Reboots also allow directors and producers to cast a new set of younger actors for the familiar roles of a film series in order to attract a younger audience. Unlike a remake, however, a reboot often presupposes a working familiarity on the part of the audience with the original work.

Television

In television, a reboot is different from a revival, in which many of the original cast, storylines, and locales from the original series are retained, whereas a reboot features an entirely new cast and timeline that doesn't take into account anything from the original series.

Video games

Reboots are common in the video game industry, particularly with franchises that have multiple entries in the series. Reboots in video games are used to refresh the storyline and elements of the game.

Comic books

In comic books, a long-running title may have its continuity erased in order to start over from the beginning, enabling writers to redefine characters and open up new story opportunities, and allowing the title to bring in new readers. Comic books sometimes use an in-universe explanation for a reboot, such as merging parallel worlds and timelines together, or destroying a fictional universe and recreating it from the beginning.

List of reboots in fiction

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Comic books

See also

• Artistic license
• Canon (fiction)
• List of modernized adaptations of old works
• Prequel
• Reset button technique
• Retroactive continuity
• Sequel

References

1. ^ Willits, Thomas R. (13 July 2009). "To Reboot Or Not To Reboot: What is the Solution?". Bewildering Stories. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
2. ^ Parfitt, Orlando (25 August 2009). "Top 12 Forthcoming Franchise Reboots". IGN. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
3. ^ Lambie, Ryan (3 July 2015). "The highs and lows of the soft movie reboot". Den of Geek.
4. Agar, Chris (Februrary 11, 2016). "Why Soft Reboots Are the Ideal Compromise Between Remakes & Sequels". ScreenRant. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
5. ^ Norris, Erik (7 March 2013). "Why Franchise Reboots Can Be A Good Thing". CraveOnline. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
6. Billington, Alex (6 October 2008). "Sunday Discussion: The Mighty Hollywood Reboot Trend". FirstShowing.net. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
7. Lorendiac (16 March 2009). "Lorendiac's Lists: The DC Reboots Since Crisis on Infinite Earths". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
8. ^ Crisis on Infinite Earths #1-12 (April 1985 – March 1986)
9. ^ Flashpoint #1-5 (May – September 2011)
10. Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #4-0 (Sept. 1994)

• Articles with too many examples from October 2015
• Comics terminology
• Continuity (fiction)
• Film and video terminology
• Reboot (fiction)
• Television terminology
• Video game terminology