The entertainment industry has been struggling with creating new content in the past years, which is news to nobody. These days, the only films we get to see at theaters are sequels, prequels, live-action remakes, and adaptations. We barely get to experience new and creative ideas coming to life, which means that the need for nostalgia is crucial if these industries want their content to succeed. When Disney recently released the live-action version of Lilo & Stitch, for example, they were banking on luring older audiences to watch the new version of a beloved film they grew up with, not actual children like the original film was intended for.
That was fun for a while, but it’s getting tiring, even more so now. We are not only forced to watch the same content with slight changes, but we have reached a point where beloved actors are being lured into this game of exploitation as well. Franchises have resorted to constantly re-casting old actors who have no business being back on our screens. Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, and Meryl Streep is back as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada 2; these are just two examples of actors who cannot get away from an old role. It needs to stop!
Just last month, two major franchises made announcements regarding actors reprising their old roles. These were the last two nails in the coffin that officially make these sorry attempts at cash-grabbing in the name of nostalgia too tiresome...
Rose Tyler is the 16th Doctor
Doctor Who, is an adored British sci-fi television show, which has been running on and off for over 60 years. The Doctor, the main character of the show, “regenerates” every few seasons, which allows the franchise to replace the actors while keeping the character alive. Last month, it was announced that Billie Piper, an actress who took part in the show from 2005-2010 as The Doctor’s companion, is the one who will play the 16th incarnation of The Doctor. This announcement has confused the fans and made many, like myself, angry about the obvious push to bring back nostalgic viewers.
Billie Piper as the 16th Doctor, Via BBC on YouTube
Ever since Disney+ took over Doctor Who, the showrunners have been struggling to increase viewership, or even maintain the viewers they had. The show heavily relies on the devoted fanbase, which for almost 60 years has loved and appreciated every part of the show. However, in the past couple of years, especially since the move to Disney+, the show’s writing has deteriorated, which has led fewer and fewer fans to tune in. Instead of trying to fix what is clearly broken—the creative process—the showrunners have turned to the thing every other franchise has begun to exploit:luring fans back in through nostalgia. This time, however, they’re using the face of Billie Piper.
Funnily enough, this is not the first time this decision was made in Doctor Who. It hasn’t even been two years since they did the same exact thing with David Tennant, one of the most popular doctors the show has ever known, who came back to the Doctor Who universe for the show’s 60th anniversary in late 2023. Tennant’s reappearance indeed helped convince many once-devoted fans to watch the three anniversary specials, but as soon as he was gone, most fans left with him.
This time, any fan who has seen the announcement of Billie Piper knows it will be no different. The show is failing, and it needs more viewers, so they are bringing a beloved face back to the screen. Yet even if it works as well as it did last time, we already know it will not last.
Via Cheezburger
Going Back to Hogwarts
Another upsetting announcement was made last month with the return of Tom Felton to his role of Draco Malfoy in the popular Harry Potter franchise. It has been more than a decade since he last laid down his wand, however, Felton will play the same character he played in the films—this time it’s on the Broadway stage in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
This play has been running for almost 10 years, but recently has been reported to be struggling at the box office. This led the show producers to follow the same route as other franchises, like Doctor Who, and turn to nostalgia in an attempt to keep the show running. So they brought in Tom Felton, who is gladly putting his Hogwarts robes back on to play the character who has gotten him so far in his career.
Even though Felton’s inability to let go of this one role is a running joke in the Harry Potter fandom, it was still surprising to hear of his return—not in a good way. Setting aside the criticism about the J.K. Rowling controversy, Harry Potter fans are fully aware that this decision is a simple cop-out for what is truly needed in the entertainment industry—originality.
Franchises need more viewers, more people to consume their once-beloved movies, TV shows, and plays, but this is not the way. The focus must turn back to originality and actual good writing in order to bring back fans and increase viewership. No one can, or should, force nostalgia, and productions do not need to rely solely on it to keep hold of their audience. We are smarter than that and we certainly deserve more.
Keep the nostalgic actors to yourself and allow them to part with their old roles in peace. The fans will be more than happy with new and exciting content that was made with love and care, rather than a temporary blast to the past.
