8 Reboots, Remakes & Revivals To Watch In The Next 2 Years
There’s nothing quite as comforting as the nostalgia and excitement that a reboot, remake, or revival of your favorite TV show or movie stirs. While some viewers prefer the creativity of original works, others enjoy revisiting characters and stories they’ve come to love over the years. Whether it’s a remake of their childhood obsession or a reboot of a franchise with characters who are pop culture icons, established franchises have a lot to offer fans.
If you’re one such viewer who prefers established IPs, you’re in luck because 2027and 2028 are stacked with TV show and movie reboots, remakes, and revivals. From remakes of classic animated tales to superhero reboots, there are several must-see franchise revisits. Use our guide to find 8 reboots, remakes, and revivals to watch out for in the next two years.
Over 20 years after Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), the magical world of Narnia is returning to the screen with Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (2027). The film serves as a reboot of the series and an adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s novel of the same name. While The Magician’s Nephew was published seventh in Lewis’s series, it is chronologically the first story.
Hence, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew takes viewers back to the beginning, capturing the creation of Narnia as Digory Kirke (David McKenna) and Polly Plummer (Beatrice Campbell) stumble into a magical realm. For fans of the book series, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew offers a chance to revisit the beloved franchise and an opportunity for a more faithful adaptation. Meanwhile, the grace and delicacy with which director Greta Gerwig brought Barbie (2023) and Little Women (2019) to the screen bode well for her handling of Narnia.
Baywatch (1989) is getting a reboot nearly 30 years after its 11-season run ended. The reboot series, Baywatch (2027), will bring the iconic red swimsuits and slow-motion running to a new generation of fans with a modern spin on the story. It will center on Hobie Buchannon (Stephen Amell), the son of Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff), following in his father’s footsteps as a Baywatch captain.
Baywatch will feature a mix of new and returning cast members, including David Chokachi, Erika Eleniak, Livvy Dunne, Noah Beck, Jessica Belkin, and Shay Mitchell. The show's return is certain to intrigue longtime fans of the franchise, as well as newcomers. Baywatch’s cast is stacked with influencers and seems to lean into its pop-culture and escapist appeal. If you love escapist television like The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022) and Big Little Lies (2017), you’ll want to check out the Baywatch reboot.
The Exorcist: Martyrs (2027) serves as a reboot of The Exorcist franchise after the disappointing performance of The Exorcist: Believer (2023). Initially conceived as a sequel to The Exorcist: Believer, the film was reworked into The Exorcist: Martyrs with horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan at the helm. Ignoring the events of The Exorcist: Believer, The Exorcist: Martyrs delves into a new story in the Exorcist universe, tracking a cop (Scarlett Johansson) as she comes up against a demonic force.
A fresh new take on The Exorcist franchise is exciting, especially under the capable direction of Flanagan. Based on the synopsis, The Exorcist: Martyrs appears to be borrowing a page from The Exorcist III (1990), with a horror-detective story. Between the anticipated homage to the earlier Exorcist films and the direction of Flanagan, Exorcist fans won’t want to miss The Exorcist: Martyrs.
Over 40 years after Highway to Heaven (1986) warmed viewers’ hearts with sentimental storytelling, the show is set to return to Fox via a reboot. Highway to Heaven (2027) is a contemporary reimagining of the original series, which centered on an angel, Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon), sent to Earth to help people in need. Along the way, Smith picks up a partner, a gruff retired police officer, Mark Gordon (Victor French), to help him on his assignments.
The reboot series will be produced by Landon’s widow, Cindy Landon. On Instagram, she wrote of the reboot, “Michael poured his heart and soul into these stories, and I know this new chapter would mean so much to him.” Few details have been released about the series. However, an uplifting and spiritual show about compassion and humanity could be the perfect escape for those feeling a little overwhelmed by current events.
Murder, She Wrote (1984) is one of the coziest and most wholesome crime dramas of all time, and now it’s coming back. A film reboot, Murder, She Wrote (2028), is in the works with Jamie Lee Curtis in the lead role of Jessica Fletcher. Details of the plot have not been released, but the original series tracked mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) as she solved crimes in Cabot Cove.
Murder, She Wrote is one of the most interesting reboots on this list. On the one hand, the long-awaited return to Cabot Cove is an exciting prospect for fans. However, it’s also hard to imagine Murder, She Wrote without the iconic Lansbury. Still, if it manages to create the comforting vibe of the original, it could be the next The Thursday Murder Club (2025) for fans of cozy mysteries.
Tangled (2010) is the latest Disney animated film to get a live-action remake. The remake, Tangled (2028), retells the 2010 story, which is loosely based on the “Rapunzel” fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It sees Teagan Croft in the lead role of Princess Rapunzel, while Milo Manheim stars as Flynn Rider and Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel.
Tangled will presumably follow the plot of the original quite closely, tracking Rapunzel as she becomes curious about the outside world and eager to escape Mother Gothel's clutches. Disney remakes have earned mixed reviews, but those like The Lion King (2019) and Cinderella (2015) have successfully recreated the magic of the originals. If done well, Tangled could recapture the lighthearted, wholesome nature of the animated movie. Additionally, Hahn’s casting as Gothel is reason enough for most Hahn fans to turn out for this remake.
Years after Fox’s X-Men series, the X-Men are moving under the Marvel Cinematic Universe umbrella. The MCU is developing an untitled X-Men movie (2028), which will serve as a reboot of the Fox series. So far, the new cast includes Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Maya Boyd as Ororo Munroe/Storm, Inde Navarette as Anna Marie/Rogue, and Adam Driver as Mister Sinister.
So far, Marvel has kept plot details under wraps. However, fans are already excited to see the MCU’s take on one of Marvel Comics’ most iconic teams. Viewers have waited decades for the mutants to appear in the MCU, and now it’s finally happening. For superhero fans, X-Men will mark one of the biggest reboots of 2028.
Everyone’s favorite singing chipmunks are returning to the big screen with an untitled Alvin and the Chipmunks reboot (2028). The last time the chipmunks appeared on the big screen was in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015). After Big Shot Pictures purchased a stake in the franchise, the chipmunks are preparing for a resurgence, including a new feature-length film to reboot the live-action film series.
The reboot is slated for release in 2028, in time for Alvin and the Chipmunks' 70th anniversary. Few details about Alvin and the Chipmunks have been released, but the franchise has proven its enduring appeal, with the chipmunks thriving as both a music group and TV/film subjects. Viewers looking for some nostalgic, family-friendly entertainment will be particularly intrigued by the Alvin and the Chipmunks reboot.
