Reboot (fiction)

In serial fiction, to reboot means to discard all continuity in an established series in order to recreate its characters, timeline and backstory from the beginning.

Etymology
The term is thought to originate from the computer term for restarting a computer system.

Reboots in various media
Reboots remove any non-essential elements associated with a franchise by starting the franchise's continuity over and trimming it down to the core elements and concepts. For consumers, reboots allow easier entry for newcomers unfamiliar with earlier titles in a series.

Film
With reboots, filmmakers revamp and reinvigorate a film series in order to attract new fans and stimulate revenue. A reboot can renew interest in a series that has grown stale, and can be met with positive, mixed, or negative results by both the consumers and film critics. Reboots also act as a safe project for a studio, as a reboot with an established fan base is less risky (in terms of expected profit) than an entirely original work, while at the same time allowing the studio to explore new demographics.

Video games
Reboots are common in the video game industry, particularly with franchises that have multiple entries in the series. Reboots in video games are used to refresh the storyline and elements of the game.

Comic books
The term also applies to comic books, where a comic's previously published stories are erased from continuity in order to provide a clean slate and allow a writer to start over from the beginning while retaining the essential concepts. Reboots in comic books are done to retell a story, revamp characters, open up new story opportunities, and bring renewed interest to a comic without burdening the readers with its complex history.

Comic books that reboot a continuity sometimes include an explanation for the reboot within the comic itself, such as merging parallel worlds and timelines together or destroying and recreating a universe from the beginning.