Overview

• Studios are set to release new versions of Die nackte Kanone with Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, a Freaky Friday sequel starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, and a second installment of Der Teufel trägt Prada led by Anne Hathaway.
• Research by Kathleen Loock finds that about 30 percent of films were remakes during Hollywood’s 1930s–40s peak, compared with just 6–7 percent today.
• Experts attribute the high profile of current revivals to substantially larger production and promotional spending than in earlier eras.
• Major studios leverage proven intellectual property to reduce financial risk and maintain a steady slate of releases.
• A rising focus on cinematic universes is giving filmmakers the freedom to explore established worlds across different time periods.