Has Any Movie Franchise Ever Been Successful After Rebooting with a New Lead Character?

When it comes to rebooting a movie franchise, particularly with a new lead character, the decision is often a complex one. The challenge lies in maintaining the essence and appeal of the original story while introducing a fresh protagonist to captivate modern audiences.

A New Lead or a New Generation?

Introducing a new character can either rejuvenate or detract from the success of a franchise, depending on how well it fits within the established continuity. In some cases, a new generation stepping into the role feels natural and inspiring; in others, it can seem contrived and disconnected from the previous narrative.

Examples of Successful Reboots with New Leads

Star Wars Franchise

10 films: The Skywalker Saga, comprising the Original, Prequel, Sequel, and ongoing Spinoff trilogies.

Original Trilogy (1977-1983)

Box Office: $1.79 billion

? Main Characters: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo

Prequel Trilogy (1999-2005)

Box Office: $2.52 billion

? Main Characters: Young Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Leia Padme

Sequel Trilogy (2015-2020)

Box Office: $4.43 billion

? Main Characters: Rey, Finn, Leia's successor

Spinoffs

Box Office: $1.44 billion

The Star Wars saga seems poised to continue with a new era of films.

Jurassic Franchise

Total: $4.99 billion

Jurassic Park (1993)

Box Office: $1.02 billion

? Main Character: Dr. Alan Grant

Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997)

Box Office: $618.63 million

? Main Character: Dr. Ian Malcolm (Supporting in The Lost World)

Jurassic Park III (2001)

Box Office: $368.78 million

? Dr. Alan Grant Returns

Jurassic World Trilogy (2015-2022)

Box Office: $2.98 billion

? Main Characters: Owen Grady, Claire Dearing (Dr. Ian Malcolm as a side character in Low Kingdom)

Dr. Alan Grant will return in Jurassic World 3 in 2021.

Transformers Franchise

One of the most interesting aspects of the Transformers franchise is that the main character, Optimus Prime, is often a human alongside him.

Sam Witwicky Saga

Box Office: $2.38 billion

? This trilogy follows Sam Witwicky, the Transformers.

Post-Sam Witwicky Era

Age of Extinction (2014)

? Introduced Cade Yaeger as the new main character.

The Last Knight (2017)

? Attempted to reintegrate the Witwicky family, introducing Vivian Wembian as a Witwicky.

The Terminator Franchise

Many are unaware that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic character is rarely the main character.

Key Characters:

Sarah Connor (T1, T2, Genisys) John Connor (T2, T3, Salvation, Genisys)

Schwarzenegger plays a consistent supporting role as the major antagonist, like the terminal in the franchise's title.