From reboots of classic television series to new spins on known movies, franchises, remakes, and old stories keep resurfacing in Hollywood for better or for worse. So what’s the secret to revamping familiar stories?
While there are a lot of ways to execute old stories, here are five approaches to reviving old tales that will help make your own adaptation a success. (For a great example, check out Magnificent Seven starring NYFA alum Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.)
1. Add New Twists
If you plan on revisiting a well-known story, ask yourself a lot of what-ifs to get new ideas.
What if the main character was of a different gender?
What if the story was told from another character’s perspective?
What if the time setting was different?
What if at least half of the supporting characters were female?
Even the tiniest details can make a big difference when it comes to imagining something new.
2. Make it Modern
Having old characters react to or live in the modern world is a fun way to recreate an old tale. A story’s lessons are what tend to speak the loudest to an audience, so show how versatile the lessons and themes can be by setting a remake in contemporary times.
One great example a timeless story finding applications in many retellings is the various adaptations of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, first published in 1813. The Bridget Jones’s Diary series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Bride and Prejudice, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies are just a few examples of adaptations with a modern time period or cultural update.
No matter what story you want to retell, having classic themes and characters interact in the modern world or with modern ideas can be a smash hit.
3. Challenge Harmful Stereotypes
A lot of old stories have problematic themes that might have been acceptable at the time, but aren’t now. If you’re building on or reimagining a dated story and run into racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in the story, consider how you can challenge or transform these elements. Leave out the harmful stereotypes, or update the story to draw awareness to a social justice issue.
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For example, leave the days of having a charming prince rescue a helpless maiden and have her rescue him. Allow for more opportunities for diversity characters to thrive in your story for something fresh and much-needed in the world of entertainment.
4. Don’t Copy What Others are Doing
Don’t feel the need to conform to the way other people approach adaptations. Sure, there are expectations that people may have about how a familiar story should be approached, but doing the same exact thing as other retellings gets very boring.
If you have a new idea or something unconventional to bring to your genre of focus, then take a chance on it! You never know if it will work until you test it out for real!
5. Have a Clear Focus
Ultimately, you need to ask yourself why you want to remake an old story. Too many people try to revive an old tale without taking the time to realize why they want to remake it. Are you doing it because you have a genuinely thought-out take to the story, or are you just feeling pressured to do what other creators are doing? Share the idea with trusted colleagues who can help you shape your adaptation into something special and truly innovative.
Finding your creative spark doesn’t have to be hard. The New York Film Academy offers 15 programs for up-and-coming creative minds. Explore professional-level programs in the visual and performing arts today.