The 2020s have been another decade defined by nostalgia. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best movies that helped revive franchises since 2020.
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00:00 "Would you like to play a game? Terra."
00:04 Welcome to Nier's Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best
00:10 movies that helped revive franchises since 2020.
00:14 "If you'll have us, we will come."
00:18 Number 10, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
00:25 "This is not an adventure, Sala. Those days have come and gone."
00:32 "Perhaps. Perhaps not."
00:34 It's no secret that the fourth movie in the beloved franchise jumped the shark pretty hard,
00:40 or should we say, nuked the fridge. But for many, its sequel, Indiana Jones and the Dial
00:46 of Destiny, was a return to form for the intrepid archaeologist. Harrison Ford stepped into his role
00:53 with charm once more, and watching an older version of the character gave the movie some
00:58 unexpected pathos, too.
01:00 "I stopped my son from enlisting."
01:03 "Did he sign up to please you?"
01:08 "No, he signed up to piss me off."
01:12 Granted, the final result didn't generate the expected profit, and wasn't universally beloved,
01:18 so chances of a sixth movie may be low.
01:22 "I'll be alright."
01:23 "No, you won't."
01:26 "I need to do this."
01:31 However, if you ask us, this one serves as a pretty fond farewell to Dr. Jones and his iconic
01:39 hat. Number 9, Ghostbusters Afterlife.
01:42 "Oh my gosh! That is the best thing I've ever seen."
01:49 A lot of people wanted to like the 2016 all-female Ghostbusters reboot. And don't get us wrong,
01:56 it had its moments. But all in all, it's come to be seen as a lackluster entry in the franchise.
02:02 Indeed, the beloved 80s supernatural comedy franchise was all but dead until 2021's
02:08 Ghostbusters Afterlife.
02:10 "Hey, flat top!"
02:13 "Have you missed us?"
02:18 It milked some major nostalgia and earned fan points by reassembling its original crew for
02:25 its climactic battle scene. Through archival footage, even deceased actor Harold Ramis
02:32 makes an appearance in ghost form to lend a hand.
02:35 "I'm sorry. I didn't believe you."
02:39 "I should have called. I missed you, my friend."
02:46 It's a well-made movie and a worthy part of the canon.
02:50 It's no wonder it led to a sequel, Ghostbusters Frozen Empire.
02:55 Number 8, Avatar The Way of Water.
02:59 Enough time had passed since James Cameron's original 2009 blockbuster
03:05 that it seemed its long-announced sequels might never happen.
03:08 "I see you."
03:10 "I see you."
03:12 Most people who saw the movie as children in its first release were fully grown by the time the
03:24 franchise came back to theatres. Sure, the world of the film took on a life of its own in Disney
03:30 World's Animal Kingdom-themed park, but 2022's Avatar The Way of Water proved the property still
03:37 had legs on screen.
03:40 "Demon blood. Alien. That's all they see."
03:42 "I see you."
03:50 It went on to become the highest-grossing film of the year,
03:55 and snagged one Oscar, having been nominated for an impressive four.
03:59 "I can't save my family by running. This is our home. This is our fortress."
04:08 "This is where we make our stand."
04:11 Number 7, Wonka.
04:14 Roald Dahl's eccentric chocolatier last appeared on screen in 2005,
04:20 with Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
04:23 "Good morning, star shine. The Earth says hello."
04:27 So we were more than ready to enter his universe again.
04:33 However, this 2023 prequel was initially controversial because it was announced
04:39 mere months after the original Willy Wonka actor Gene Wilder passed away.
04:44 "There's no life I know to compare with pure imagination. Living there, you'll be…"
04:52 Under Paddington director Paul King, though, the lively and charming musical seemed to make
04:58 believers out of skeptics. This was surely helped by the fact that the overall aesthetic
05:04 borrows heavily from the original 1971 film, making it feel familiar while it does something new.
05:11 Plus, Timothee Chalamet turned out to be a very convincing Wonka,
05:16 and the song and dance numbers are a treat.
05:19 "Not bad."
05:20 "There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination."
05:29 Number 6, The Super Mario Bros Movie
05:33 When Nintendo's adventuring plumber Mario, Luigi, and the gang came to the movie theaters in 1993,
05:40 it was a disaster.
05:42 "Need a lift?"
05:43 "What?"
05:44 "Come on, get on my feet."
05:46 "Alright."
05:47 So, it was hard to imagine another movie based on the video game franchise would
05:52 ever see the light of day again. 30 years later, though, the shame had seemingly worn off.
05:59 Resurrecting many of the franchise's most beloved characters,
06:03 the 2023 comedy was a runaway success.
06:08 "Peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches,
06:13 peaches, ahhh, oh yeah, oh."
06:19 While critics gave it middling reviews, audiences flocked to see it.
06:24 The enormous box office intake led to it being named the highest-grossing video game adaptation
06:30 of all time, and it secured the biggest opening weekend for an animated movie ever recorded.
06:36 "These are my boys, hey, ha ha, wahoo!"
06:42 Given that kind of success, there's sure to be sequels,
06:46 spin-offs, and a Nintendo Cinematic Universe to follow.
06:50 Number 5, The Invisible Man.
06:53 "What happened, what happened, what?"
06:54 "I saw something, it was right there, right there, there were footprints, I saw it!"
06:58 "You saw footprints?"
07:00 "Yes, I saw them, the sheets, I saw it right there, I saw them."
07:04 There are few directors working in horror who aren't influenced by the original Universal
07:10 monsters. Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Mummy all have had their comebacks over the years.
07:17 The original Invisible Man is the story of a rogue scientist who turned himself
07:22 invisible with a chemical substance and soon became murderously violent.
07:28 "Into the secrets of kings, into the holy of holies, power to make multitudes run,
07:34 squealing in terror at the touch of my little invisible finger."
07:38 The 1897 novel became a 1933 film, which in turn got the remake treatment in 2020.
07:47 The latter version reimagines Griffin as a monster for the modern age,
07:51 while Elizabeth Moss stars as the woman who must outsmart and outrun him.
07:55 "I won't ever hurt you, I'll find someone you love and hurt them instead."
07:59 Though it was released just as the COVID pandemic was beginning,
08:04 the movie received its well-deserved flowers from audiences and critics alike.
08:09 A sequel has been announced.
08:11 Number 4 - Scream
08:14 This meta-horror hit joins several franchises in the confusing but apparently lucrative gimmick
08:20 of releasing a sequel that reuses the original movie's title.
08:25 No number, no subtitle, just the same name.
08:29 But it's okay, because it's a great slasher film.
08:32 "The correct answer is Billy Loomis and Stu Marker.
08:37 There are two killers in the original stab. I'm afraid someone's gotta die now."
08:42 2022's Scream leans on the nostalgia hardcore,
08:48 even doubling down on our fond memories of the first movie by using the same house in the climax.
08:54 "There's two of you. Again. I've seen this movie before."
08:59 "Not this movie, Sydney."
09:01 "You really need some new material."
09:03 Fusing its original cast with plenty of fresh young faces,
09:08 Scream 2022 is the first one without original director Wes Craven at the helm.
09:14 While no one can beat his skill with suspense,
09:18 there's plenty here for old and new fans to love.
09:22 "You survive?"
09:23 "I always do."
09:25 "You were right. About not running. Sorry about that."
09:31 Number 3 - Cruella
09:33 How does a fashion designer become an evil mastermind?
09:37 This live-action Disney origin story starring Emma Stone seeks to answer this,
09:43 and many other questions about the aptly named Cruella de Vil.
09:48 "There are six of you. So, obviously you're weak.
09:51 The first two of you to arrive are going to get very badly hurt."
09:56 Documenting her rivalry with Baroness Von Hellman, a snooty and vindictive designer,
10:02 the movie follows Estella on her way to becoming the fierce and fabulous Cruella.
10:08 "I know you killed my mother."
10:11 "You're going to have to be more specific."
10:13 "What? Who, exactly?"
10:18 It doesn't just engage our nostalgia for the animated versions and the live-action ones
10:24 from the aughts starring a delightfully unhinged Glenn Close.
10:29 It also gets at our retro nostalgia, with a soundtrack chock full of 60s and 70s needle drops.
10:37 "One day, maybe next, I'm gonna meet ya. I'm gonna meet ya."
10:41 It does all this while paving its own way in the most stylish outfits,
10:54 giving the title character a new backstory for the ages.
10:58 Number 2 - Dune
11:01 Frank Herbert's science fiction novel seemed almost unfit for the big screen.
11:07 The 1984 movie by David Lynch is a cult favourite,
11:11 but even its fans couldn't say it's a successful adaptation.
11:15 "We Fremen have a saying. God created Arrakis to train the faithful.
11:21 One cannot go against the word of God."
11:27 There were also the miniseries In the Noughties, yes, and several potential
11:33 projects were floated over the years. But until this 2021 hit, Dune as a franchise was considered
11:41 dead. As epic as the novels it comes from, the Timothee Chalamet-led flick makes the smart
11:46 decision of adapting only one part of the first novel, leaving the rest for the sequel.
11:53 "It's made from the tooth of Shai-Hel-ud, the great sandworm.
11:56 This will be a great honour for you to die holding it."
12:01 Add that effective storytelling choice to fantastic effects, acting and directing,
12:07 and you have a recipe for success. Indeed, Dune was a massive hit, earning an impressive six Oscars.
12:15 "Not for the riches, but for the strength of your people."
12:21 "My road leads into the desert."
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12:43 Number 1 - Top Gun - Maverick Few movies feel more quintessentially 80s
12:49 than Top Gun, with everything from its guitar-shredding main theme to its memorable
12:55 catchphrases embodying the decade. "I feel the need for a speed."
13:03 Naturally, it's become a favourite for a wide range of people, whether they were there in 1986
13:12 or discovered it later. Due to its popularity, the action hit inspired several video games,
13:19 but somehow it took over 30 years for an actual sequel to be released.
13:24 "Push beyond. Today we'll start with what you only think you know.
13:30 You show me what you're made of."
13:34 Thankfully, nobody seemed to question just how good Top Gun - Maverick was.
13:40 Tom Cruise returns to one of his most famous roles,
13:44 naval aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, to stellar effect. Mixing the original's high-flying
13:51 action scenes with genuine heart and character development, Maverick is a legitimately great film.
14:07 "Thank you for saving my life."
14:08 What franchise do you want to see revive next? Let us know in the comments.
14:14 "I have a rendezvous beyond my beloved horizon."
14:19 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from MsMojo,
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14:30 [Music]