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What's After the Movie?

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What's After the Movie?
Storytelling Story structure, screenwriting craft and the devices that drive a plot.

Remake: Meaning & Definition in Film

A new version of an earlier film, retaining core plot but updating elements.

  • 4 sections
  • 1 min read
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Distinction from Adaptations

Unlike adaptations from other media, remakes re-envision existing films, often modernizing settings, cultural contexts or technological aspects.

Remake: Historical Examples

Studios remade classics to leverage improved effects or new talent: Psycho (1998), Ben-Hur (1959), A Star Is Born (2018) each reflect their eras’ cinematic values.

Remake: Critical Reception

Remakes risk unfavorable comparisons; success stories like Gus Van Sant’s Psycho (1998) remain exceptions. Fidelity to source material and creative reinterpretation are crucial.

Remake: Market Dynamics

Remakes can be safer investments due to name recognition, but oversaturation may lead to audience fatigue.

See the vocabulary at work in real films

Look up any movie for its ratings, cast and crew, box office run and where to watch, or read the full plot with the ending explained.

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More Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms

Entries filed on the same shelf as Remake, each with the one-line answer first. They are the words that usually come up in the same conversation.

All 293 terms

  • Miniseries

    A television narrative told over a limited number of episodes with a single overarching arc.

  • Save the Cat

    Save the Cat is a beat-driven story model focusing on likable heroes.

  • Opening Image

    The opening image is the very first shot or sequence of a film, designed to establish the tone, genre, setting, and thematic starting point of the story.

  • Story World

    The Story World is the complete and unique fictional reality in which a narrative unfolds, encompassing its physical laws, culture, history, and societal norms.

  • Bookend Scene

    Bookend scenes are two scenes, one at the beginning and one at the end of a film, that are structurally, thematically, or visually parallel.

  • Scene Hook

    A scene hook is a narrative device used at the beginning of a scene to immediately capture the audience's interest and create a compelling question.