5 Long-Dormant Movie Franchises Finally Returning in 2026

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It feels like reboots, sequels, and revivals are everywhere in Hollywood, and some franchises just won’t go away. We’ve had a movie based on a DC Comics character every year since 2015, and it’s been just as consistent with Marvel since 2001. Recent successes like the return of Jurassic World in 2015 – which has already spawned three more films – show how these revivals can keep going for years. Even sequels to films that were put on hold for a long time, like Blade Runner 2049 in 2017, can reignite a series and lead to new TV shows.

Several previously forgotten franchises are making a comeback this year, and we’ve already seen a few return. In January, fans got a new Silent Hill movie—the first based on the video game in fourteen years. Just last week, Faces of Death returned after a twenty-seven-year hiatus. And there’s more to come, including one franchise that hasn’t seen a new installment in almost forty years.

5) Scary Movie

Time since last movie: Thirteen years (2013’s Scary Movie 5)

The new Scary Movie 6 is set to revitalize the beloved parody series, and it’s doing so by bringing back the original creators, the Wayans brothers. Keenen Ivory Wayans wrote the script alongside Marlon and Shawn Wayans, who are also reprising their iconic roles from the first films. The trailer for the summer release shows the movie will poke fun at recent horror hits like Scream, Get Out, Longlegs, Smile, M3GAN, The Substance, and Weapons. With all signs pointing to success, fans are hoping this won’t be another long wait for a sequel.

4) Street Fighter

Time since last movie: Seventeen years (2009’s Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li)

For nearly forty years, Street Fighter has been a popular arcade and video game series. However, like many video game franchises, it hasn’t had much success with live-action movies. While the 1994 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raúl Juliá has gained a bit of a nostalgic following, most adaptations have been poorly received. The original film currently has an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the 2009 film even lower, at just 3%.

As a huge Street Fighter fan, I’m really excited about the new movie! It seems like they’re finally trying to get things right after past adaptations. Not only has it impressed a key figure in the gaming world, but they’ve cast some fantastic actors and really focused on staying true to the characters and story we all love.

3) Meet the Parents

Time since last movie: Sixteen Years (2010’s Little Fockers)

Back in 2000, nobody predicted that the funny and charming movie Meet the Parents would launch a whole series of films. Surprisingly, even though the two sequels received poor reviews, they still earned a lot of money in theaters. Now, the franchise is coming back this year with a new installment, Focker In-Law, which will be released on November 25th.

Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller are back as their famous characters in a new movie, with Skyler Gisondo playing Stiller’s son. He’s about to propose to his girlfriend, Ariana Grande, which makes Stiller’s character, Gaylord Focker, worried. The film offers a fresh take on the original story, showing both how far Stiller’s character will go to prevent the engagement and how Grande’s character fights back.

2) Chronicles of Narnia

It’s been sixteen years since the last Chronicles of Narnia movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, was released in 2010.

The upcoming Narnia movie, a new take on C.S. Lewis’ novels from Greta Gerwig and Netflix, won’t be connected to previous films. Instead, it will begin a fresh adaptation of the series, starting with the first book in terms of the story’s timeline, The Magician’s Nephew (originally published in 1955). This suggests Netflix intends to adapt all the books in their original order.

It’s unclear how viewers will respond to a new Narnia series, especially since it’s been over ten years since the last film. While there’s definitely renewed interest in revisiting the world, previous attempts to make Narnia movies showed that interest waned after the first, most popular story, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was adapted.

1) Masters of the Universe

Time since last movie: 39 Years (1987’s Masters of the Universe)

The first live-action He-Man movie came out nearly forty years ago. While it wasn’t successful when it premiered and received harsh reviews, it’s since gained a dedicated following as a cult favorite. Because of this, and the current trend of reboots in Hollywood, many studios have tried for the past 15 years to create a new He-Man film.

I’m so excited! After years of waiting, we’re finally getting a new live-action He-Man movie this summer. Travis Knight, the director of Bumblebee, is behind it, and it’s clear he really loves these classic ’80s stories. It’s a fresh start – don’t expect any connections to the old movie, even that fun Frank Langella scene. This is a complete revival of Masters of the Universe, and honestly, fans like me have been hoping for a really great adaptation for ages. It feels like the franchise is finally getting the treatment it deserves!

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2026-04-22 16:16