I vote we find a new word for reboot, as its starting to automatically have bad connotations, when things might not be as awful as they first appear. Vulture is reporting that with little chance of a Brangelina starring sequel to Mr & Mrs Smith, the companies behind the 2005 film, Fox and Regency Enterprises, are working on a new movie set in the same universe, but with new characters.
While Vulture throws around words like ‘reboot’, ‘origin story’ and ‘quasi-prequel’, it actually sounds more like a sequel, but based of new idea which is being tied to the Mr and Mrs Smith name to try and generate interest in Hollywood. The film will revolve entirely different characters to the ones Brad and Angie played, and rather than a husband wife where each doesn’t klnown the other is a spy, the new film will concentrate on a pair of 20-something agents who are set up as a fake married couple when they graduate their training. Presumably some real romance blossoms.
So really, rather than a reboot or prequel, it’s what Hollywood has long tried to do, which is a sequel that’s a lot cheaper to make than the original but still has the brand-name recognition. While that rarely results in a good movie, it’s not exactly a reboot. Akiva Goldsman is attached to produce the the new film, although it sounds as if it’s still in the relatively early stages of development and so may never get in front of the camera.