When popular characters return to TV shows and movie franchises, it can help ensure continued success. Surprise role reprisals build up huge anticipation, with some iconic cinematic moments like Jon Snow returning from the dead in Game of Thrones. Another great comeback that gained lots of hype was the return of both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in Spider-man: No Way Home who joined Tom Holland in epic scenes.
Some characters have become so popular that they have driven further success across other revenue channels. For example, merchandise sales such as action figures have been large revenue drivers. Video games and casino games have also been created to tap into the success of a movie or character. Slot machines such as Jurassic Park and Lord of the Rings provide longevity in revenue for years after the film was released.
Many players who try out slots based on their interest in a particular movie franchise, show or character will often explore other gaming options like live casino games with a real dealer. You can see how this works at the live casino here and you will also find slots that are linked to popular films and shows.
What About Comebacks That Don’t Work Out?
Despite many comebacks proving to be huge successes, there are also returns that are not so well received and for this reason, many actors are sceptical about making a return. There is always the possibility that they could taint the memory of a fan-favorite character if the comeback does not go to plan. Some actors are also concerned that they will become “typecast” if they continue in a role for too long and may struggle to get future roles as a consequence.
This is why it is becoming increasingly difficult to predict cast returns and in today’s digital-centric world, there are many more reasons, such as:
The Streaming Shift
Movie success used to be measured on box-office sales but now streaming channels have made it more difficult to predict the level of success attained. There are different viewership metrics used across different channels and it is difficult to determine whether streaming channel subscriptions are linked to a specific series or movie. Therefore, actors may be more cautious about reprieving roles.
Box-office sales provided instant success metrics, while streaming success is measured over a longer period, so actors might not have the benefit of seeing long-term success before they are offered a return role.
Shorter Contracts
In the past, actors would often sign up for multiple movies from a franchise or several series. Now, studios prefer to have more flexibility in case they want to change characters or pull a show. Actors also like to have more flexibility, as cultural shifts are faster than they used to be, so what is popular today might not be as popular in a few years time.
Social media has also increased the risk of actors damaging their image, either by posting something controversial themselves or being caught on video doing something that is disapproved of. This can harm the brand image for TV shows and movies, so studios are less likely to offer long contracts due to the risk.
The Damaging Effect of Spoilers
Achieving the right balance of teasing a character return to gain attention and ruining the surprise is challenging for studio marketing teams. If the audience already knows that an actor is returning it does not hold the same emotional spike, and spoilers are more common with social media. It is harder for comebacks to be kept secret as actors are often spotted on filming locations and video footage goes viral.
Audiences are also more sceptical about whether character returns add to the storyline or roles have been created purely to bring a popular character back, which can lead to negative reviews. Spoilers dampen the excitement of an unexpected plot, and the word of mouth marketing that used to work so well is not as effective.
To prevent spoilers from ruining character comebacks, studios often request actors and production teams to sign NDAs but this is still not guaranteed to keep things under wraps.
With spoilers becoming so common, this gives actors another reason to be more cautious about whether they want to take on a return role. If they have experienced great success for the original appearance, they risk ruining the long-lasting reputation of both the character and their own acting reputation. Comebacks are a gamble and predicting whether they will be successful is harder than it has ever been before in the digital era.