A lot of us have become invested in franchises and series, whether it was during lockdown or even before, binge-watching and marathons have made us emotionally attached to fictional places and characters. But when that series or franchise comes to halt, we’re often left with questions unanswered, needs unmet or just a big hole that the show used to fill. While 2021 remains unpredictable, one thing is for sure: the reboots and sequels coming out this year are something to look forward to, with some of the biggest movie franchises continuing their stories, and some old favourites coming back from the dead.
Reboots And Spin-offs
- Daria (Jodie)
The satirical 90s teen cartoon will return this year, but not with the titular character in the spotlight. Comedy Central will bring us a spin-off, produced by and featuring Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish, The High Note), that will revolve around Daria’s smart, sarcastic friend Jodie. The reboot will be aimed at a Gen Z audience and Jodie will return as a recent college graduate, navigating the workplace, privilege and Gen Z-specific struggles, all with a narrative of wit, sarcasm and smarts.
2. Gossip Girl
We’ve all been hearing news of a Gossip Girl reboot since last year and it’s now been confirmed that the reimagined series is due to release this year. Portraits of the new cast and characters were released on the Gossip Girl Instagram page on New Year’s Day, sparking excitement for the teen drama. The new series will still be narrated by Kristen Bell and with the original creators producing the series, we just know it’ll be a hit.
3. Clueless
Much like the Daria reboot, the new, yet-to-be-titled Clueless will be a spin-off, focusing on a black supporting character. The reboot was first reported on by Variety in August, describing the new series as ‘a baby pink and bisexual blue-tinted, tiny sun-glasses wearing, oat milk latte and Adderall-fueled look at what happens when queen bee Cher disappears and her lifelong number two Dionne steps into Cher’s vacant Air Jordans.’, depicting the show as just as fashionable as the original, with some mystery thrown in. While release dates and details are still foggy, we know the series will air on NBCUniversal’s new streaming service Peacock.
4. iCarly – A reboot of the much loved Nickelodeon show was confirmed in December, and is set to include most of the original cast. The producer, Jay Kogen, shared that the new series will be for adults, which makes sense regarding fans of the show are all grown up now. It’s headed for the streaming platform Paramount Plus, and even with no confirmed details of it’s release or plot, we’re all excited for the classic to return.
5. James Bond (No Time To Die)
The anticipation over the new Bond film grew exponentially after each of it’s delays and is now confirmed to be released at the beginning of April this year. It was originally due to premiere in November of 2019 but with production delays, it was pushed back, then with the titular song, sung by Billie Eilish, released at the beginning of 2020, we were all excited for the film. Due to the pandemic, No Time To Die experienced several more push backs, each one sparking more excitement than the last. Hopefully, this one will stick, there’s only so many times we can have a Bond marathon in preparation.
6. A Quiet Place Part II
Another film delayed by the pandemic, the sequel to John Krasinski’s (The Office, Jack Ryan) thriller is now set to come out in April. Part II finds the Abbott Family among more than just the threat of the creatures that hunted them before. The same stars and characters will return, this time with the addition of Cillian Murphy as a main character too.
7. Spider Man 3
Tom Holland will return as Spider-man this year, in the third film of the new series in the Spider-man MCU franchise. The film will include some old supervillains from previous Spider-man eras including Jamie Foxx as Electro, and there are rumours of both previous actors, Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield, appearing. We’re excited for its release which, while not confirmed, is supposed to be near the end of the year.
8. The Matrix 4
The 4th instalment of the Matrix franchise will arrive in December of this year. Most of the leads remain the same, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are examples; returning as Neo and Trinity. New reported cast members include Neil Patrick Harris (How I met Your Mother), Stephen Graham (This Is England) and Yayha Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman).
Words by Daisy Greetham, Graphics by Sophia Zenonos
