As fans prepare for the June 3 release of "X-Men: First Class," many are wondering just how the mutant bromance between Professor Xavier and Magneto will play out. But beyond that, there's another, even bigger question being asked by America: Haven't we seen this before?
That's because "X-Men: First Class" is the latest entry in Hollywood's hottest trend, reboots, which take an old property -- really, it's been five whole years since "X-Men: Last Stand" -- and re-imagine it for a new generation in the hopes of launching a revitalized franchise.
With that in mind, here are some of the highest profile reboots coming soon to theaters near you. In each case, you may have seen it before, but with franchises this awesome, Hollywood is betting you'll want to see it again.
'Conan the Barbarian'
Attached: Jason Momoa, Rachel Nichols, Rose McGowan, Stephen Lang
Status: It's been over 25 years since Conan last graced a movie screen, but thanks in part to the antics of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the character remains firmly entrenched in the public consciousness. And with the recent popularity of fantasy films, what better time to bring the original swordsman from Cimmeria back? In this incarnation, it's "Game of Thrones" beefcake Jason Momoa donning the fur shorts. We hope they're comfortable, because if the film does as well as Hollywood hopes, he may be wearing them for a long time.
Release Date/Year: Aug. 19, 2011
'Prometheus'
Attached: Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce
Status: The name "Prometheus" may not ring a bell for most of you, but if you're a fan of the "Alien" franchise (or really into Greek mythology), you'll recognize it. After all, "Prometheus" was the name of Ellen Ripley's ship in the first "Alien," so it's only fitting that this pre-boot (yes, we just made that word up to describe a reboot that is also a prequel) brings back original director Ridley Scott to explore just how those aliens got here in the first place.
Release Date/Year: June 8, 2012
'The Amazing Spider-Man'
Attached: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, Rhys Ifans
Status: If Spider-Man seems an unlikely candidate for a comeback, it's probably because the franchise never left in the first place. "Spider-Man 3" may not have been a big critical success, but it still made $890 million worldwide just four years ago. Still, when director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire decided to hit the bricks, Sony figured it might as well keep the money river flowing by rebooting the whole thing with a new cast and creative team. Whether or not people will embrace Andrew Garfield's new Spidey, though, is one of 2012's biggest questions.
Release Date/Year: July 3, 2012
'Superman: The Man of Steel'
Attached: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Michael Shannon
Status: Can you reboot a reboot? Well, we're about to find out. As you may recall, Warner Bros. tried to bring back the "Superman" franchise in 2006 with Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns." The movie turned out to be a costly dud, but that hasn't stopped the studio from trying again, this time with "Watchmen" director Zack Snyder behind the camera and relatively unknown British actor Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel. It's risky, but if it doesn't work, look on the bright side: They can always put out a third reboot in 2018.
Release Date/Year: Dec. 2012
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
Attached: Heather Morris (rumored)
Status: There are a lot of rumors surrounding the big-screen re-reboot of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (the franchise that's spawned both a 1992 movie and the 1997-2003 TV show), such as the one in which "Glee" star Heather Morris is in talks for the lead role. But one thing isn't a rumor: Most "Buffy" fans are really, really pissed about the whole thing. That would seem to make the enterprise, which doesn't involve creator Joss Whedon and which has been publicly trashed by previous "Buffy" star Sarah Michelle Gellar, a bad idea. But Warner Bros. is apparently hoping that the vampire craze will bring in enough new fans to make this proposition worth its trouble -- and if the studio is right, the box office potential of a new Buffyverse could be huge.
Release Date/Year: 2012
'The Crow'
Attached: Bradley Cooper (rumored)
Status: You can forgive rumored star Bradley Cooper for being a little unsure about the "Crow" remake; after all, he doesn't exactly seem like prime goth material. Then again, the original "Crow" franchise became a cult hit, spawning three sequels over more than a decade -- and that was before comic book adaptations really took off. Add in the fact that the reboot is being overseen by "28 Weeks Later" director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, and this is one franchise that truly seems ready to rise from the dead.
Release Date/Year: 2013
'Moscow'
Attached: Chris Pine
Status: Following in the footsteps of Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck, "Star Trek" hunk Chris Pine is in line to become the latest actor to play Tom Clancy's all-American super agent Jack Ryan in the upcoming reboot "Moscow." The film, which tells how Ryan became an intelligence specialist to begin with, is actually the second attempt to reboot the franchise, but the studio can be forgiven for ignoring the events of 2002's "Sum of All Fears"; after all, once you set off a nuke in Baltimore, it's hard to go back. "Moscow" is currently a bit up in the air, as the film has been delayed due to scheduling conflicts, but a 2013 release remains a possibility.
Release Date/Year: 2013
'The Fantastic Four'
Attached: N/A
Status: "Green Lantern" writer Michael Green has been tapped to reboot "The Fantastic Four," which originally cashed in on the post-"X-Men" superhero boom to become a hit back in 2005. The franchise seemed dead following tepid response to 2007's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," but the huge box-office success of films like "Iron Man" and "The Dark Knight" convinced 20th Century Fox to give the team another shot. Rumors suggest that fans can expect a more serious tone this time around instead of the jokey, hokey tone of the original two installments.
Release Date/Year: 2013
'Tomb Raider'
Attached: N/A
Status: If the mere thought of anyone trying to step into Angelina Jolie's iconic shoes -- and even more iconic butt-huggers -- seems like blasphemy, well, you're not alone in that thought. But the "Tomb Raider" video game empire is still turning out hits, meaning that new fans of the character, who may not even be familiar with Jolie's 2001 version, are being created every day. And with "Iron Man" and "Cowboys & Aliens" writer Mark Fergus set to pen the screenplay, the franchise appears to be in good hands. Finding someone to fill out that t-shirt, though, will likely determine if this reboot sinks or floats.
Release Date/Year: 2013
'Robocop'
Attached: Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp (all rumored)
Status: MGM is still in the early stages of planning for its "Robocop" reboot, but the studio has some big ideas for the iconic '80s avenger. Recent reports list Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves and Johnny Depp among those being eyed for the lead role of a cop who is resurrected as a cyborg after a deadly shooting. For now, the biggest name associated with the project is indie director José Padilha, so this one still has a way to go before it's ready for the big screen.
Release Date/Year: 2013
'Daredevil'
Attached: Robert Pattinson?!
Status: If you ask people now about Ben Affleck's 2003 version of "Daredevil," fans are likely to roll their eyes; but the film was actually a minor hit, more than doubling its production costs at the box office and even spawning a spinoff (the truly bad "Elektra"). And with "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" director David Slade on board, the reboot is already on its way to repeating that success, especially if, as rumored, Slade is able to sign "Twilight" matinee idol Robert Pattinson as the blind lawyer-turned-superhero. We're still unconvinced, though. After all, why employ that incredible head of hair if you're just going to hide it under a rubber mask?
Release Date/Year: 2014
