After the crazy year of 2020, many have noticed the uptick in reboots, reunions and sequels to many fan-favorite shows and movies. With many theaters still closed and tight restrictions affecting filming, the creative sphere of film and television has been minimized. 

The road for streaming services has been paved for the new way of experiencing TV and movies. Many of these streaming services have taken it upon themselves to give viewers a reprieve from the grim world around them in the form of reboots of generational classics. 

At the end of May, HBO released the highly anticipated reunion of “Friends.” The reunion included the whole cast and some of the more famous guest stars. There were also special guests such as Lady Gaga who sang the iconic “Smelly Cat” that Kudrow’s character Phoebe wrote. Gaga and Kudrow sang the song as a duet during the reunion. 

The cast also recreated many famous scenes during a read-through. One of those scenes was from the episode “The One Where Everyone Finds Out.” In this scene, Kudrow once again steals the show when her character Phoebe finds out about the secret relationship between Monica and Chandler. 

Even though the reunion was well-received, many fans were awaiting an episode of “where are they now?” content. Fans were slightly disappointed when it premiered and was mainly about looking back on old times. and answering some of the questions about the show and cast that fans have had for over a decade. 

The reunion was hosted by James Corden, and he did not fall short of asking some fan-favorite questions, like if Ross and Rachel’s chemistry was just for the cameras or if there was something going on behind the scenes. As it turns out David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston did have both on and off-screen feelings for each other. The actors went on to explain how they never acted on it because they were very good friends and did not want to jeopardize the group’s relationship. 

Flash-forward to the beginning of August 2021, and the internet officially broke with news of Schwimmer and Aniston reportedly being an item. The two have been seen together on many separate occasions, but Schwimmer told sources that the two are simply good friends. Many “Friends” fans are holding their breath for the two because as Phoebe best put it, “he’s her lobster.” 

The reunions and reboots do not stop with HBO and “Friends.” Amazon Prime Video is releasing yet another “Cinderella” adaptation starring Camila Cabello, which will be released in September. The star-studded cast includes Indina Menzel, Minnie Driver, Billy Porter, James Corden and Pierce Bronson. 

The premise of this Cinderella story is about a young girl who aspires to be a dressmaker and have her own business. This rendition also puts a modern twist on the fairy tale when Cinderella seems hesitant to marry Prince Charming because she has dreams of her own. 

Billy Porter will be portraying Cinderella’s fairy godmother, or in this case “Fab G,” a genderless fairy godparent. This adaptation has the nostalgic Cinderella story combined with humor and the dialogue of today’s world. 

Netflix is also releasing a reboot of the teen drama “She’s All That,” but with a gender swap of the main characters. “He’s All That” will have characters from the original movie, but it will be about their children. “He’s All That” has TikTok star Addison Rae as the “queen bee,” who makes it her mission to choose a boy and turn him into “the next Prom King.” 

Many people have already made their assumptions about this adaptation. Rae is already incredibly famous outside of the TikTok world, so many viewers think that this role should have gone to another aspiring actor instead of someone like her. This film also includes Kourtney Kardashian, a casting choice which has people scratching their heads as to why she would be in this movie, but Rae and Kardashian have been known to have a strange friendship and are always together. From sleepovers to nights out, the duo has grabbed headlines not just because they come from different spheres of fame but also because of their massive age difference. 

Disney has also had its fair share of reboots. From animation to live-action, the most recent addition was “Cruella” starring Emma Stone as the antagonist. The story revolved around the villain’s origin, the how and the why of how Cruella’s character came to be. 

Disney also just wrapped filming the live-action “The Little Mermaid” in July. This rendition will be starring actress and singer Halle Bailey as Ariel. The star-studded cast includes Melissa McCarthy, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs. The casting of Bailey in the leading role caused an uproar among fans, mostly positive , but still received negative feedback.