The best sci-fi concepts have endless potential for reinvention. Think the 2004 Battlestar Galactica reboot, or Denis Villeneuve’s Dune revival (or even his Blade Runner 2049, for that matter). It’s true that when franchises return to the screen, they are often pale imitations of the source material and/or simply cynical cash grabs by studios reporting to shareholders. However, once and a while, a new voice takes an old story and gives it a renaissance.
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As we continue to experience technological acceleration in the real world, some of the speculative concepts from years past are more resonant than ever. While these franchises have already left their imprint on the genre in theaters, on TV, and even via video games, they still have plenty of gas left in the tank. If studios are willing to approach them the right way, the five concepts below could be remade as mega-hits for a new generation.
5) Stargate
A pulpy sci-fi adventure, Stargate was a particularly ambitious franchise, especially for the ’90s and ‘00s. Roland Emmerich’s original 1994 film opened the door, but it was Stargate SG-1 that turned the premise into a full-blown phenomenon (followed up with gems like Stargate: Atlantis). For a decade, fans followed Richard Dean Anderson’s Jack O’Neill and Michael Shanks’ Daniel Jackson through strange alien planets and some of the best “monster-of-the-week” episodes of the genre.
Amazon acquired MGM in 2021. Since then, rumors have been floating around that a new Stargate project was in development, though the studio hasn’t confirmed whether it will be a movie, a show, or a full-scale universe relaunch. If Amazon plays its cards right, a Stargate revival could take a blockbuster or prestige streaming budget and turn an old fan-favorite into a contemporary hit. The creator of District 9, Neill Blomkamp (who was a 3D animator for the TV series Stargate SG-1), could be a great talent to put behind the project.
4) Max Headroom
If there’s one franchise that needs an urgent update for the age of AI influencers and deepfakes, it’s Max Headroom. Originally introduced in a 1985 TV movie, Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future, the character became a British pop culture sensation. Matt Frewer’s glitchy digital host went on to front his own American TV series and star in Coca-Cola commercials. At the time, he was billed as “the world’s first computer-generated TV personality,” even though Frewer was technically just buried under heavy prosthetics. Max was an acidic parody of the media long before it became the all-consuming giant it is today.
Reviving Max Headroom now could capitalize on the ’80s nostalgia craze, as seen in shows like Stranger Things, while providing us with some much-needed satire for the current state of affairs. Supposedly, a Max Headroom reboot series was in development at AMC, with Frewer himself set to return. However, while the project was announced in 2022 with Elijah Wood’s SpectreVision producing, the airwaves have since gone silent. It’s likely the Hollywood strikes slowed or altogether halted development. Still, the ingredients are there for a majorly interesting revival.
3) Tremors
While more of a genre blend than straight-up science fiction, the original Tremors was a ‘90s B-movie miracle. It was equal parts creature feature, western, and sci-fi comedy, all glued together by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward facing off against giant underground worms called Graboids. While it spawned a string of sequels and even a TV show, none of them captured the specific charm of the first film.
In the last few years, a rumor circulated online that Netflix was developing a Tremors reboot on the down low. It immediately reignited fan excitement, especially since Bacon had supposedly expressed interest in reprising his role. Unfortunately, the rumor was debunked by several major outlets, but more recent reports have stated that the writers of the first few films have now acquired the rights and are trying to get a Tremors sequel going. However, once it gets off the ground, the online consensus is that the concept is timeless, and if modern VFX are combined with practical effects, we could see some legitimately scary Graboids.
2) Babylon 5
J. Michael Straczynski’s Babylon 5 was way ahead of its time. Airing from 1994 to 1998, the show pioneered serialized storytelling long before prestige TV made it the norm. The five-year run followed the struggles of the crew aboard the titular space station, with standout performances from Peter Jurasik (as Londo Mollari) and Andreas Katsulas (as G’Kar). Their Shakespearean rivalry was a fantastic story engine that carried the series.
Unfortunately, Babylon 5’s Achilles heel has always been its early CGI. Cutting-edge for the mid-’90s, the space battles now look painfully dated. While it was revived as an animated series in 2023, a full-scale reboot with modern VFX and an A-list cast could uplift B5 to the level it always deserved. Even a straight HD remaster would be enough to get new fans on board. Though purists might defend the original, a little CGI facelift would go a long way towards reviving one of TV’s richest sci-fi worlds.
1) Terminator
Few sci-fi concepts are as universally appealing or timeless as The Terminator: a killer robot sent from the future to change the past. James Cameron’s 1984 original is still an all-time classic with lean, high-concept storytelling, and T2: Judgment Day is still one of the most beloved sequels ever made. Unfortunately, every installment since has overcomplicated the timeline or sidelined John Connor, who was the beating heart of the original films, in favor of increasingly muddled mythology.
Cameron has teased a reboot more than once, most recently suggesting he might reimagine the concept with a sharper focus on AI, which is great if it takes cues from the original. To work, a Terminator reboot would need a back-to-basics approach, where the threat is simple and the core of the story is human. Alien: Romulus proved this year that audiences still respond when you return to what made a franchise special in the first place. Rather than a series of overly complex twists, a Terminator reboot needs a story that moves like an unstoppable machine.
Which sci-fi series do you want to see rebooted ASAP? Drop your thoughts in a comment below!
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Image courtesy of Stage 6 Films -
Image courtesy of Lucasfilm.
