As the feeling and joy of nostalgia have circled around the internet, many famous pieces of media are making a comeback with the new generation. New fans are joining together with admirers of “older” franchises to bring light to past favorites and revive fan-favorite concepts.

 

 It’s possible that film production companies want to cater to the modern audience. After the majority of the world has been locked in quarantine, many fans miss life before the pandemic.

 

As we dip our toes into 2023, there is already an impressive lineup of remastered oldies waiting to be released.

“The Last of Us”

 The dystopian drama series is based on the well-renowned game The Last of Us. Developed by the company Naughty Dog in 2013, the series takes place in post-apocalyptic America. It follows the journey of Joel (Pedro Pascal), a ruthless underground operator, who is tasked to escort 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who is believed to provide the cure for the zombie outbreak that decimated modern North America. The series will be released Jan. 15 on HBO Max. 

 I think the series has the opportunity to be special to a lot of people. As a fan of the game, I was really impressed by the complex storyline and the fleshed-out characters. It shares a beautiful concept of strong family bonds in Joel and Ellie’s relationship. The selling point of the show needs to be how well Pascal and Ramsey display their bond since it’s such a big part of the game.

“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”

The movie references the prequel of the notable series “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. It tells the story of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) 64 years prior to when he first appears in the books as the cold-hearted president of Panem. It takes place during his youth when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird(Rachel Zegler) in the 10th Hunger Games. The movie will be released on Nov. 17 in theaters through Lionsgate.

  When I first picked up this book during quarantine, I was very intrigued by Snow’s backstory and empathized with him a little due to his circumstances. I appreciated that the book’s writing style wasn’t too different from the original trilogy. I’m extremely excited about this movie, and I think it’ll leave a hard-hitting and positive impact on the long-standing fans of the Hunger Games.

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”

Following the fourth Indiana Jones movie, “Indiana Jones: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” Dial of Destiny will be released on June 30 after 15 years. The concept of the movie came to fruition in the 1970s by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. However, this is the first movie in the franchise that won’t be directed by the two. It will instead be directed by James Mangold, a filmmaker most known for movies such as “Girl, Interrupted” (1999) and “Logan” (2007). Harrison Ford has been playing Indiana Jones for 42 years and recently revealed new insight into the movie. When asked if a younger actor would play his character on the Today show, he strongly stated, “Nobody is Indiana Jones, don’t you get it? I am Indiana Jones.”

I’ve grown up on these movies, and now for the first time in my life, I can go see a new Indiana Jones movie. In. Theaters. Although the movie won’t be directed by the same people, I have very high hopes for it. The movie is the last in a historical series and Ford’s promotion leaves me anticipating a show-stopping twist. I’m curious to see how it will top the last.

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”

 Based on the famous tabletop role-playing game released in 1974, this movie follows a party led by a clever thief who bands together against any enemy who crosses their path. Although the movie’s production started all the way back in 2013, companies disputed who would release the movie and direct the film. Finally, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley became the official directors, and filming began midway through 2021. The movie is set to release in theaters March 31.

 Although I’m very new to the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, I’m interested to see what the movie will be like. One thing I’m worried about is the writers catering to a more general audience and not properly delving into what D&D actually is. Dungeons & Dragons are so wonderfully complex and intricate. From world-building to the ability to create a character unique to oneself, I appreciate the aspects of the game a lot. So, it’s my hope that some of them will make their way into the movie.

“Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse”

After the resounding success of “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse,” a second movie is set to release this summer on June 2. Two trailers have been released that hint at what the movie has to offer, as well as introduce a plethora of new characters and returning favorites. In the second trailer, Spiderman 2099 (Michael O’Hara) appears in the first movie’s end credit scene and is a prominent figure in “Across the Spider-Verse.”
I was absolutely blown away by the first Spider-Verse movie. It makes the list of one of my favorite movies of all time because of the depth, craft of the characters, storyline and animation.
After watching both trailers for “Across the Spider-Verse,” I was in love with the intricate details throughout. I loved how Miles and Gwen’s growth was shown since the first movie and how many Spider characters from the comics made appearances.

There were a lot of creative concepts implemented in each piece of media, and one can tell a lot of thought was put into each trailer or sneak peek. They have the potential to become instant classics and staples in the media industry.