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{{Short description|Term used in serial fiction}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
[[File:Godzilla Raids Again (1955) Godzilla vs Anguirus.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The ''[[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla]]'' film franchise, which began in 1954, has been rebooted numerous times. Pictured here is a promotional still for ''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (1955).]]

In [[Serial (literature)|serial fiction]], the term "'''reboot'''" signifies a new start to an established [[fictional universe]], work, or series. A reboot discards [[Continuity (fiction)|continuity]] to re-create its characters, [[plotline]]s and backstory from the beginning.<ref name="Willits">{{cite web|last1=Willits|first1=Thomas R.|title=To Reboot Or Not To Reboot: What is the Solution?|url=http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue344/reboot1.html|website=Bewildering Stories|access-date=20 August 2013|date=13 July 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206001739/http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue344/reboot1.html|archive-date=6 December 2012|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Parfitt">{{cite web|last1=Parfitt|first1=Orlando|title=Top 12 Forthcoming Franchise Reboots|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/08/25/top-12-forthcoming-franchise-reboots|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=20 August 2013|date=25 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520012126/http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/08/25/top-12-forthcoming-franchise-reboots|archive-date=20 May 2014|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It has been described as a way to "rebrand"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alexander |first1=Julia |title=The Matrix reboot isn't a remake: Here's the difference between the two |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/3/15/14935390/the-matrix-reboot-remake |website=[[Polygon.com|Polygon]] |access-date=19 July 2018 |date=15 March 2017}}</ref> or "restart an entertainment universe that has already been established".<ref name="Willits"/>

Another definition of a reboot is a [[remake]] which is part of an established [[film series]] or other [[media franchise]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=McKittrick |first1=Christopher |date=6 March 2018 |title=Film Franchises: The Differences Between Sequels, Reboots and Spinoffs |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/differences-between-sequels-reboots-and-spinoffs-4057759 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054531/https://www.thoughtco.com/differences-between-sequels-reboots-and-spinoffs-4057759 |archive-date=19 July 2018 |access-date=19 July 2018 |website=[[Dotdash#2017–present: closure and rebranding|ThoughtCo]] |quote=In a lot of ways, a remake and a reboot are similar concepts. They are both brand-new versions of previous movies. However, "reboot" is more commonly used for film franchises, while "remake" is more often used for stand-alone movies.}}</ref> The term has been criticized for being a vague and "confusing"<ref>{{cite web |title=Hollywood's 10 Best Reboots |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/22/hollywoods-10-best-reboots |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=19 July 2018 |date=21 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719055128/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/22/hollywoods-10-best-reboots |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref> "[[buzzword]]",<ref>{{cite web |last1=Peters |first1=Ian |display-authors=etal |date=6 August 2012 |title=Reboots, Remakes, and Adaptations |url=http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2012/08/06/reboots-remakes-and-adaptations |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054529/http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2012/08/06/reboots-remakes-and-adaptations |archive-date=19 July 2018 |access-date=19 July 2018 |website=[[MediaCommons|In media res]] |language=en |df=dmy-all}}</ref> and a [[neologism]] for remake,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Child |first1=Ben |title=Don't call it a reboot: how 'remake' became a dirty word in Hollywood |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/24/film-industry-remakes-hollywood-movies |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=19 July 2018 |language=en |date=24 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054536/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/24/film-industry-remakes-hollywood-movies |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Patches |first1=Matt |title=The Reboot Glossary: Which Hollywood Buzzword Fits the Bill? |url=http://www.hollywood.com/movies/the-reboot-glossary-which-hollywood-buzzword-fits-the-bill-57239239/ |website=[[Hollywood.com]] |access-date=19 July 2018 |date=9 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054348/http://www.hollywood.com/movies/the-reboot-glossary-which-hollywood-buzzword-fits-the-bill-57239239/ |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref> a concept which has been losing popularity since the 2010s.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Faughnder |first1=Ryan |title=Hollywood's summer problem? Reboots people don't want |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-ben-hur-summer-box-office-20160817-snap-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=19 July 2018 |date=24 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054652/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-ben-hur-summer-box-office-20160817-snap-story.html |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Desta |first1=Yohana |title=Why Hollywood Is Producing So Many Damn Remakes |url=https://mashable.com/2014/10/09/hollywood-film-remakes/ |website=[[Mashable]] |access-date=19 July 2018 |language=en |date=9 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054717/https://mashable.com/2014/10/09/hollywood-film-remakes/ |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref> William Proctor proposes that there is a distinction between reboots, remakes and [[Retroactive continuity|retcons]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Proctor |first1=William |title=Reboots and Retroactive continuity |journal=The Routledge Companion to Imaginary Worlds |date=7 April 2017 |pages=230–231 |url=https://www.academia.edu/38572946 |access-date=9 December 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

==Origin==
The term is thought to originate from the computing term ''[[reboot]]'', meaning to restart a computer system.<ref name="Willits"/><ref name="Parfitt"/> There is a change in meaning: the computing term refers to restarting the same program unaltered, while the term discussed here refers to revising a narrative from the beginning.<ref>{{cite web |title=Does This Common Computer Term Actually Reference Shoes? |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/reboot-boot-word-origin |website=[[Merriam-Webster]] |access-date=12 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The first known use of reboot applied to an entertainment franchise was in a 1994 [[Usenet]] posting.<ref>{{cite web |title=MISC: The origin of "reboot" found! |url=https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.comics.dc.lsh/c/6yzTsMm_8Ho/m/IBINP2OpdVAJ |website=[[Google Groups]] |access-date=20 Jan 2023 |date=1 April 1996}}{{registration required}}</ref>

==Types==
{{quote|Say you've had 187 issues of '[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]' and you decide you're going to introduce a new Issue 1. You pretend like those first 187 issues never happened, and you start the story from the beginning and the slate is wiped clean, and no one blinks.

One of the reasons they do that is after 10 years of telling the same story, it gets stale and times change. So we did the cinematic equivalent of a reboot, and by doing that, setting it at the beginning, you're instantly distancing yourself from anything that's come before.|[[David S. Goyer]], on ''[[Batman Begins]]''<ref name="Greenberg">{{cite news |last1=Greenberg |first1=James |title=Rescuing Batman |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2005/may/08/entertainment/ca-batman8 |access-date=May 11, 2019 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=May 8, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202014002/http://articles.latimes.com/2005/may/08/entertainment/ca-batman8 |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |page=E-10}}</ref>}}

Reboots cut out non-essential elements associated with a pre-established franchise and start it anew, distilling it down to the core elements that made the source material popular.<ref name="Norris">{{cite web|last1=Norris|first1=Erik|title=Why Franchise Reboots Can Be A Good Thing|url=http://www.mandatory.com/fun/456007-why-franchise-reboots-can-be-a-good-thing|website=Mandatory|publisher=[[CraveOnline]]|access-date=6 June 2018|date=7 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608160315/http://www.mandatory.com/fun/456007-why-franchise-reboots-can-be-a-good-thing|archive-date=8 June 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> For audiences, reboots allow easier entry for newcomers unfamiliar with earlier titles in a series.<ref name="Norris"/>

===Comic books===
In comic books, a long-running title may have its continuity erased to start over from the beginning, enabling writers to redefine characters and open up new story opportunities, allowing the title to bring in new readers.<ref name="Willits"/><ref>{{cite web|author1=Lorendiac|title=Lorendiac's Lists: The DC Reboots Since Crisis on Infinite Earths|url=http://www.cbr.com/lorendiacs-lists-the-dc-reboots-since-crisis-on-infinite-earths|website=[[Comic Book Resources]]|access-date=20 August 2013|date=16 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009182911/http://www.cbr.com/lorendiacs-lists-the-dc-reboots-since-crisis-on-infinite-earths/|archive-date=9 October 2016|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Comic books sometimes use an [[Fictional universe|in-universe]] explanation for a reboot, such as merging parallel worlds and timelines together, or destroying a fictional universe and recreating it from the beginning.<ref>''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' #1-12 (April 1985 – March 1986)</ref><ref>''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]'' #1-5 (May – September 2011)</ref><ref>''[[Zero Hour: Crisis in Time]]'' #4-0 (Sept. 1994)</ref>

===Film===
With reboots, filmmakers revamp and reinvigorate a film series to attract new fans and stimulate revenue.<ref name="Parfitt"/><ref name="Greenberg"/> A reboot can renew interest in a series that has grown stale.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vasquez |first1=Zach |title=Beyond the grave: what's next for the horror reboot? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/23/halloween-horror-reboots-upcoming-pet-sematary-it |access-date=25 October 2018 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=23 October 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025070910/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/23/halloween-horror-reboots-upcoming-pet-sematary-it |archive-date=25 October 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Reboots act as a safe project for a studio, since a reboot with an established [[Fandom|fanbase]] is less risky (in terms of expected profit) than an entirely original work, while at the same time allowing the studio to explore new demographics.

A soft reboot is a reboot which acts as a sequel but is almost, if not identical to the original predecessor. <ref>{{cite web|last1=Billington|first1=Alex|title=Sunday Discussion: The Mighty Hollywood Reboot Trend|url=http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/sunday-discussion-the-mighty-hollywood-reboot-trend/|website=FirstShowing.net|access-date=20 August 2013|date=6 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706092140/http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/sunday-discussion-the-mighty-hollywood-reboot-trend/|archive-date=6 July 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Television===
{{See also|Revival (television)}}
A television series can return to production after cancellation or a long [[Hiatus (television)|hiatus]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Francis |first1=James Jr. |title=Why did the television reboot become all the rage? |url=https://theconversation.com/why-did-the-television-reboot-become-all-the-rage-96179 |website=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |access-date=19 July 2018 |language=en |date=11 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054748/https://theconversation.com/why-did-the-television-reboot-become-all-the-rage-96179 |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Husser |first1=Amy |date=27 February 2016 |title=Reboot overload? Fuller House only latest in line of nostalgia-inspired TV revivals |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/tv-reboots-2016-fuller-house-1.3461297 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811133426/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/tv-reboots-2016-fuller-house-1.3461297 |archive-date=11 August 2018 |access-date=19 July 2018 |website=[[CBC News]] |publisher= |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Whereas a reboot disregards the previous continuity of a work, the term has also been used as a "catch all" phrase to categorize [[sequel|sequel series]] or general remakes due to the rise of such productions in the late 2010s.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Swarts |first1=Jessica |date=12 April 2016 |title='The Twilight Zone' Remake Episodes That Are Actually Pretty Good |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/14127-the-twilight-zone-remake-episodes-that-are-actually-pretty-good |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054502/https://www.inverse.com/article/14127-the-twilight-zone-remake-episodes-that-are-actually-pretty-good |archive-date=19 July 2018 |access-date=19 July 2018 |website=[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Otterson |first1=Joe |title='Twilight Zone' Reboot From Jordan Peele, Simon Kinberg, Marco Ramirez Greenlit at CBS All Access |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/twilight-zone-reboot-cbs-all-access-jordan-peele-simon-kinberg-marco-ramirez-1202632108/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=19 July 2018 |date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054445/https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/twilight-zone-reboot-cbs-all-access-jordan-peele-simon-kinberg-marco-ramirez-1202632108/ |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

A related concept is retooling, which is used to substantially change the premise of a series while keeping some of the core characters. Retools are usually part of an effort to forestall [[cancellation (television)|cancellation]] of a still running production.<ref>{{cite news |last1=VanDerWerff |first1=Emily Todd |date=12 February 2014 |title=How the second season of ''Newhart'' proves sitcoms need time to learn |language=en-us |work=[[The A.V. Club]] |url=https://tv.avclub.com/how-the-second-season-of-newhart-proves-sitcoms-need-ti-1798266087 |url-status=live |access-date=24 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123233602/https://tv.avclub.com/how-the-second-season-of-newhart-proves-sitcoms-need-ti-1798266087 |archive-date=Nov 23, 2019 |quote=Newhart is that rare beast in the TV world: a show where all of the retooling paid off because the producers were keenly attuned to what was and wasn’t working on their show.}}</ref>

===Video games===
Reboots and [[Video game remake|remake]]s are common in the video game industry.<ref name="Norris"/> Remakes in video games are used to refresh the storyline and elements of the game and to take advantage of technology and features not available at the time of earlier entries.<ref name="Norris"/>

==See also==
* [[Artistic license]]
* [[Canon (fiction)]]
* [[Prequel]]
* [[Reset button technique]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reboot (Fiction)}}
[[Category:Reboot (fiction)| ]]
[[Category:Comics terminology]]
[[Category:Continuity (fiction)]]
[[Category:Film and video terminology]]
[[Category:Reboot comics| ]]
[[Category:Reboot films| ]]
[[Category:Television series reboots| ]]
[[Category:Television terminology]]
[[Category:Video game reboots| ]]
[[Category:Video game terminology]]

Reboot (fiction) - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article