Older movies are fun to watch with friends, family or just alone. Old movies tend to have better plots that are not just cliches or life lessons to teach young kids, and are the best movies to watch with a bucket of popcorn and some candy. But not everyone is exposed to these older movies, so coming out with a sequel in the last few years is the perfect way to draw in kids of all ages.
This year marks the “Mean Girls” 20-year premiere anniversary of the movie, and in January 2024, the broadway musical adaptation of Mean Girls was turned into a movie, bringing more young viewers to the original movie. Kids and teens more drawn to the movie through the musical aspect, Renée Rapp, who played Regina George and a cameo by Linsey Lohan, could then be exposed to the timeless original.
“Beetlejuice” came out on March 30, 1988, and about 36 years later its sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” came out this year on Sept. 6, 2024. This movie has had a similar effect to “Mean Girls”. The original “Beetlejuice” — starring Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice and Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz — is a fairly popular Halloween movie, but kids who have never seen the first movie can still be introduced to the story, characters and fandom through the brand new second movie. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” has many of the original cast members, but also includes popular actress Jenna Ortega playing Astrid Deetz, Lydia’s daughter.
Older movies are usually introduced to kids by their parents or family members, but with the sequels in the theaters, teens at least, can go and see the movie with their friends and expose themselves to the series.
The beloved childhood movie “Inside out” came out in 2015, about nine years ago. Its sequel, “Inside out 2”, was released at the perfect time, as the kids the original was made for when it came out are now teenagers, just like the main character Riley is in “Inside Out 2”. In the new movie, Riley turns 13 and is about to start middle school without her best friends. While at hockey camp during the summer, Riley discovers new emotions — characters in the movie: Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment. Even though her Anxiety wants to take total control of her life, she has to learn to control it and be herself. At the beginning of the movie, the new emotions kick the “older” emotions out of headquarters. The “old” emotions have to get back to headquarters before something bad happens to Riley, and she forgets how to be happy. While that happens, Anxiety is starting to rearrange Riley’s emotions and personality. Like the tweens and teens watching, sometimes your anxiety takes over you, or you feel so jealous, embarrassed and bored you forget how to feel happy.
These teens were once kids with kid emotions, like Riley, and are now teenagers going through the struggles of teen emotions along with Riley.
Making these sequels and exposing new audiences to classic older movies will keep the movie’s legacy alive for future generations.
