The world is moving ahead into new directions, but at the movie theatres, there are plenty of opportunities to look backward instead.

A recent look at the listings at theatres near me showed close to half the movies now playing are sequels or parts of motion picture franchises, not new originals.

Deadpool and Wolverine, which opened July 26, is the third in the Deadpool series.

The superhero character of Deadpool has appeared in film since 2016 and has appeared in comic books since the early 1990s. Wolverine has appeared in film since 2000 and before that, the character had his first comic book appearance in 1974.

Whatever one thinks of the movie 鈥� and reactions have been mixed 鈥� neither of the main characters are new creations.

Twisters, another movie launched in July, 2024, is a standalone sequel to Twister, a movie which touched down in 1999.

Despicable Me 4, an animated motion picture, continues in the tradition of the film series which began in 2010. And yes, as the title suggests, it is the fourth instalment in the franchise.

A Quiet Place: Day One is the third in its horror film series, and builds on the story developed in the first two films, in 2018 and 2020.

There have also been sequels to Planet of the Apes, Mad Max, Inside Out, Beverly Hills Cop and others. This is not a comprehensive list.

There are coming movies based on other motion pictures from earlier eras. The Lion King, Karate Kid, Sonic the Hedgehog and The Lord of the Rings are among franchises slated for sequels later this year.

Next year, the eighth instalment in the Mission: Impossible film series is expected to be released. The movie franchise has been going strong since 1996, and its roots in the past go deeper. It is based on a 1966 television series by the same name.

The Superman series will also have a new motion picture scheduled for the summer of 2025. The iconic character, in distinctive blue tights with a red and gold logo on his chest, has been depicted on the big screen since  1948. Superman comic books have been around much longer, with the first issue published in the spring of 1938.

After 86 years, filmmakers and audiences have not yet tired of the Man of Steel.

There鈥檚 something to be said for a story, character or concept so compelling it can be used time and again. Not everything to hit the screen deserves a remake or a sequel. There is something to be said when a character or a concept can return to the screen and continue to attract audiences.

And there鈥檚 a sense of comfort in taking refuge in an air-conditioned theatre during the heat of the summer, cooling down and watching a movie with familiar characters or story lines. It鈥檚 a nice reprieve from current events.

At the same time, if a new movie has wowed audiences with a fresh idea or an unusual character, the sequels will not have the same impact. The newness is gone.

A sequel is a safe approach for movie companies as it begins with some of the details already in place. And it鈥檚 a safe choice for audiences as it offers something familiar rather than a new and unpredictable experience

Still, there are times when movie goers want something they have not seen before.

Sequels and pieces of well-loved movie franchises do not and cannot offer such an experience.

John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.