Reboot (fiction)
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In serial fiction, a reboot is a new start to an established fictional universe, work, or series. A reboot usually discards continuity to re-create its characters, plotlines and backstory from the beginning.<ref name="Willits">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Parfitt">Template:Cite web</ref> It has been described as a way to "rebrand"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or "restart an entertainment universe that has already been established".<ref name="Willits"/>
Another definition of a reboot is a remake which is part of an established film series or other media franchise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The term has been criticized for being a vague and "confusing"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "buzzword",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a neologism for remake,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a concept which has been losing popularity since the 2010s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> William Proctor proposes that there is a distinction between reboots, remakes and retcons.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Origin
The term is thought to originate from the computing term reboot, meaning to restart a computer system.<ref name="Willits"/><ref name="Parfitt"/> There is a change in meaning: the computing term refers to restarting the same program unaltered, while the term discussed here refers to revising a narrative from the beginning.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The first known use of reboot applied to an entertainment franchise was in a 1994 Usenet posting.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Registration required</ref>
Types
Reboots cut out non-essential elements associated with a pre-established franchise and start it anew, distilling it down to the core elements that made the source material popular.<ref name="Norris">Template:Cite web</ref> For audiences, reboots allow easier entry for newcomers unfamiliar with earlier titles in a series.<ref name="Norris"/>
Comic books
In comic books, a long-running title may have its continuity erased to start over from the beginning, enabling writers to redefine characters and open up new story opportunities, allowing the title to bring in new readers.<ref name="Willits"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Comic books sometimes use an in-universe explanation for a reboot, such as merging parallel worlds and timelines together, or destroying a fictional universe and recreating it from the beginning.<ref>Crisis on Infinite Earths #1-12 (April 1985 – March 1986)</ref><ref>Flashpoint #1-5 (May – September 2011)</ref><ref>Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #4-0 (Sept. 1994)</ref>
Film
With reboots, filmmakers revamp and reinvigorate a film series to attract new fans and stimulate revenue.<ref name="Parfitt"/><ref name="Greenberg"/> A reboot can renew interest in a series that has grown stale.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Reboots act as safe projects for a studio, since a reboot with an established fanbase is less risky (in terms of expected profit) than an entirely original work, while at the same time allowing the studio to explore new demographics.
Television
Template:See also A television series can return to production after cancellation or a long hiatus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Whereas a reboot disregards the previous continuity of a work, the term has also been used as a "catch all" phrase to categorize sequel series or general remakes due to the rise of such productions in the late 2010s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A related concept is retooling, which is used to substantially change the premise of a series while keeping some of the core characters. Retools are usually part of an effort to forestall cancellation of a still running production.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Video games
Reboots and remakes are common in the video game industry.<ref name="Norris"/> Remakes in video games are used to refresh the storyline and elements of the game and to take advantage of technology and features not available at the time of earlier entries.<ref name="Norris"/>
Soft reboot
A soft reboot is a reboot that shares some continuity with the original series, but that changes the style, tone, or intent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It usually serves to allow writers more creative freedom while mostly maintaining the same setting the audience has grown accustomed to.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In a soft reboot, certain characters, storylines, and background elements from the original are retained, while others are newly created, altered, or added. This approach provides a fresh start while still maintaining ties to the existing continuity.
The "gritty reboot"
The notion of the "gritty reboot" gained popularity, in which various franchises that often had a lighter tone in their original form were remade in a darker and more mature form. Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy is one of the earlier, more famous, and highly regarded examples,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was followed by gritty reboots of DC's Justice League,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the James Bond franchise with Casino Royale in 2006, and others including Bel-Air and A Christmas Carol,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> among many other examples.