Hollywood loves a comeback. A string of movie stars are set to return to the franchises that launched their careers in the coming months and years. There is no better way to boost an IP than to bring back its original star, as evidenced by Vin Diesel’s return to the Fast & Furious franchise, catapulting it to levels it never thought it could reach.
As for the actors who portray these characters, the thrill is not only financial. The joy of returning to a beloved character is too much to resist for Hollywood’s elite as they relive past glories and find a nuanced way of adding a different spin. Here is a list of the most exciting franchise comebacks currently in the works.
Neve Campbell in Scream 7
The ultimate final girl in the Scream franchise is Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who has featured in five movies thus far. Fans were devastated when she didn’t return for Scream 6 due to Campbell’s pay dispute with Spyglass Media. That said, the fifth sequel turned out well, largely thanks to the new final girl, Sam Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera.
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Unfortunately, Barrera was fired from Scream 7. The fan base turned on Spyglass Media, and co-star Jenna Ortega also left the project. This paved the way for Neve Campbell’s return after settling her pay concerns with Spyglass. Original creator Kevin Williamson will direct the upcoming sequel, and it’ll be great to see Campbell back as Sidney.
Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine
Wolverine is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic superheroes of all time. That is largely down to Hugh Jackman, who has played him on and off for nearly 25 years. In 2017, Jackman was set to retire the claws in James Mangold’s Logan. However, after seven years away, he’s back to play him in Deadpool & Wolverine. Fans are very excited at the prospect of him sparring with Ryan Reynold’s potty-mouthed hero.
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Deadpool & Wolverine will be the first time both characters have featured in the MCU. It’s also the only Marvel movie to come out in 2024, adding to the anticipation. It’s not the first time Jackman and Reynolds have played these characters in the same film, but the less we say about X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the better. It’ll be great to see Hugh Jackman return to the best role of his career.
Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Thirty years have flown by since Eddie Murphy last played the legendary Axel Foley, but he’s finally back as the smart-talking fish out of water in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, due to hit Netflix on July 3, 2024. He’s joined by franchise stalwarts Judge Reinhold and John Ashton and a brand-new cast, including Kevin Bacon and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
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Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F will be the fourth in the series. It arrives exactly 40 years after the original came out. Axel is arguably Murphy’s most famous role. If the film does well, it could lead to further entries in the series.
Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Fans have been craving a sequel to Tim Burton’s classic 1988 hit Beetlejuice for many years, and it finally arrives in theaters on September 6, 2024. Of course, it wouldn’t be Beetlejuice without Michael Keaton playing the title role, and he is back in action in the smartly titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
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Tim Burton will direct the long-awaited sequel, with Hollywood megastar Jenna Ortega in the mix as Lydia Deetz’s daughter, Astrid. However, the most exciting prospect of the new movie is seeing Keaton return to one of the best roles of his career.
Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Filming is underway in London for Bridget Jones’s fourth outing, subtitled Mad About The Boy. It’ll see Renée Zellweger return to her most iconic role, and it will undoubtedly be a hit when it comes out in 2025. The new movie is based on Helen Fielding’s 2013 book of the same name. It’ll likely be the swansong for Zellweger’s character.
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Zellweger has had a stunning career, and it’ll be a joy to see her return to play Bridget Jones again after the success of the previous three movies. Renowned television director Michael Morris helms the upcoming film, with co-stars Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall as Bridget Jones’s new love interest.
Daisy Ridley in Untitled Star Wars Movie
The most recent Star Wars trilogy faced criticism from the hardcore fanbase, but it’s difficult to pick fault with Daisy Ridley’s portrayal of Rey. The announcement that Ridley would reprise the role in an upcoming Star Wars movie was met with excitement and hope for the future of the long-running franchise.
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Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will direct the as-yet-untitled Star Wars movie. Set 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, it’ll be one of a series of new entries in the franchise. There is an argument that there is an over-saturation of Star Wars content, but Daisy Ridley’s return to the fold gives this new project a degree of legitimacy.
Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing
Frances “Baby” Houseman is back in the corner for the long-awaited “proper” sequel to the 1987 mega-hit Dirty Dancing. The new movie will bring Jennifer Grey back to our screens many years after the events of the original. While it’s sad Patrick Swayze is no longer with us, Grey’s character was arguably the focus of the original, so it’ll be interesting to see her return.
Jonathan Levine will direct the sequel, reportedly set in the 1990s at the Catskills holiday resort. In it, a young woman has a coming-of-age romance that will intertwine with Baby’s story. Expect to hear old classic songs and ’90s hits. There will also be other returning cast members for the new movie. It’ll be called Dirty Dancing and is expected to hit theaters in the summer of 2025.
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