Originality: What happened to it?

 Originality

What happened to it?

It's said there is no more originality in fiction. I say that's ridiculous because a new creative is born every day and often their work goes unnoticed. What this blogpost covers is how the possibility of originality is being put aside for stories being reimagined.

Existing characters and stories have been done over in different mediums and by many new creatives. The new trend is to tweak the story here and there. Plus, there is even a change in who and what the characters are. This isn't trying something new or helpful to anyone. I say helpful because many changes to existing characters and stories have become repetitive. For example, Peter Parker a.k.a Spider-man is the most relatable character in comic books. He goes through struggles from issues with family to issues with money. The one thing above all is his bond with responsibility. To change him in anyway beyond an alternate universe version is not original. It's lazy. You can certainly have other characters wearing the suit, but give them separate experiences, different names, and origins. 

Next, I'd like to point out the new Home Alone movie. The original had a boy being left behind before a family vacation. His home is invaded by criminals and its up to him to defend it. This new version coming out by Disney has the minor tweaks I mentioned. The protagonist looks different from the original and those breaking into his house don't appear as career criminals. And if you've seen the 90s version you can guess what happens next. Here's my question. Why? Disney could literally put out another amazing movie like Moana, but chose to do another Home Alone.

Reimagining's aren't regulated to just comic books and movies. Books do the same thing. There have been however better efforts to change that. Originality at near full production. I've seen books that are a combination of what is familiar to us and what isn't. I've seen Disney stories told from the point of view of the antagonist. These stories and many more are what we need to see more of.

Inconclusion, I think originality exists with every creative. It just needs to be allowed to shine.