We’re just two days away from arguably one of the biggest moments in the MCU history with Avengers: Infinity War. A couple of weeks later we’ll get Deadpool 2, and then at the end of May, we’re face to face with Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Let me be blunt, for the nerd in me, this is both terrifically exciting and terrifying in equal measures. What if Infinity War blunders? What if Deadpool 2 is…egads the horrors…unfunny? And Solo: A Star Wars Story? I’ll be honest, the jury remains out because that kid isn’t Harrison Ford. Yes, you heard me, Alden Ehrenreich isn’t Harrison Ford, and that’s a big strike against a movie I would have given my eyeteeth to see 40 YEARS AGO.
Still, this is where we are and hot on the heels of Wonder Woman, Rogue One, The Last Jedi, and Black Panther—all epics that go right to the top of my must watch movie lists, we’re circling around to the part where everything old is new again.
The phrase, of course, refers to the fact that there are no new stories to be told—just twists on these tales, or a different take on them. The part where most people disagree with a new take or even a sequel is when the creator’s vision doesn’t go where you think it should or what you envision. Maybe we’ll need to agree to disagree, but bear with me here: art is subjective.
C’mon, say it with me, art is subjective.
So, if art is subjective and everything old is new again, what’s the point? The point is inelegant, but simple. The point is to provide entertainment and escapism. Occasionally, we throw in the afterschool special and add a side order of enlightenment. Still, the big goal is to entertain viewers and readers (whether we’re talking movies, television, or books). We want you to feel something…
- Avengers Infinity War – Who will die? What’s going to happen? OMG, I can’t wait for Star Lord and Iron Man to try and out snark each other!
- Deadpool 2 – How many creative ways can Deadpool break the 4th wall? Will we get to see more X-Men? What crazy crap will they do?
- Solo: A Star Wars Story – It better be the Kessel Run! Are they going to explain 12 Parsecs? Nope. Not doing it. It’s not Harrison Ford
See what I did there? Yes, I’m focusing on movies because I’m sharing my experience with you. The same thing happens with books. Take any author you love, any author, and then think about the last book you read of theirs and why you would pick up the next one. There’s a certain familiarity and confidence, because you know what you’re getting.
Or at least you believe you do. When you love something author, film, or book series, then you have an expectation and that’s what you want to see more of. The moment it deviates in some way or doesn’t fulfill your vision—you experience disappointment and reluctance.
Thus we bring our verbal trip full circle: everything old is new again because everything old comes with expectations and promises attached. These engage the reluctant viewer and reader who may not be willing to pick up the brand new book or check out that brand new film—I mean what if it sucks? How will I know? I don’t generally listen to reviewers. They told me lots of movies were terrible that I enjoyed. What about the echo chamber of the Internet? Well, you can, but let me tell you they can’t come to a consensus either.
For now, we’ll get reboots, remakes, and the next in series because we need them. We need that guarantee of entertainment and the people who make them need a guarantee they will get paid so they can make the next one.
I’ll tell you a (not) secret. My husband refuses to watch trailers for movies anymore, and he won’t watch the tag that says what will happen next week on any show he likes to watch. He also won’t read book or movie reviews.
Why? Because they were robbing him of the joy because he would form all these pre-conceptions about what he thought SHOULD happen. Now, he goes in as fresh as he can and he’s been enjoying both his reading choices and movies more and more.
Do yourself a favor, take a risk every now and then. Go check out something you aren’t sure about whether it’s a movie, a book, or a television show. Give it a real chance. You never know what new thing out there is just waiting to become your something old.
About Heather Long
USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime.
From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family.
She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.
You can find Wrangling Wanda, her latest release and more via her website.
