Movies: Is it a reboot, remake, prequel or sequel?
Say you’ve got a movie franchise that’s a bit long in the tooth. What to do? Reboot.
That’s what Sony Pictures is trying to do with “Spider-Man,” announcing that newcomer Andrew Garfield, above, will take over the lead role of Peter Parker.
No, it’s not remaking. “Rebooting” -- that is, taking a franchise back to its origins and beginning again with a different take and cast -- is Hollywood’s latest fad. It differs from a remake, in that a remake usually takes an older movie and uses a new cast, with modest changes to the story. Prequels, for that matter, tell a story that takes place earlier than in previous movies in a series. And sequels, of course, continue the story of a previous movie, usually with much of the same cast.
But can you tell the difference? Take a look through the following photos to see if you can spot the reboots, the remakes, the sequels and the prequels.
No sorcery here. “Chamber of Secrets” was a sequel to “Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone,” which Radcliffe starred in a year earlier. (Warner Bros. / Associated Press)
“Aliens,” the 1986 film starring Sigourney Weaver: remake, reboot, prequel or sequel? (20th Century Fox / Associated Press)
