What Is the Difference Between A Remake and A Reboot?

While some films can be considered both a remake and a reboot, there are some fundamental differences between the two.

A movie remake refers to when a brand new movie is made based on an older movie. Movie remakes do their best to stay true to the source material. They are typically made to feature the same storyline or specific concept in a modern, future, or imaginary world or they can be made as a shot for shot remake to pay homage to a classic film. Remakes of foreign films in different languages or locations are also common for universally relatable stories.

Fun Fact: The 2012 release of ‘Total Recall’ starring Colin Farrell was a remake of the 1990 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The original ‘Total Recall’ was partially filmed in Nevada – Learn more!

Movie reboots are also when a new movie is made based on an older movie (or sometimes a movie franchise). However, reboots usually do not focus on retelling the same storyline from the source material, as remakes do.

Reboots can keep as much or as little of the elements and concepts from the previous film as they like but, in the most extreme example, reboots can also completely start from scratch and disregard all previous backstories and plot lines. In some cases, the only thing that may carry over in a reboot from the original film is just the movie title or a single character.

If you are looking to create an all-star production team for your next remake or reboot, check out our online Nevada Production Directory to find experienced Nevada production crew and support services or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you offer production and film-related services in Nevada and are not yet listed in our Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

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