During the 2010s, when adapting dystopian and sci-fi young adult novels was at its peak, Disney decided to adapt Pitticus Lore’s I Am Number Four, and though the film had the potential to be as successful as the books, it failed, leaving Disney with another chance in the current day to reboot the story and make it as great as it could have been. Published in 2010, I Am Number Four follows a teenage boy known as Number Four who is an alien, part of a group of eight that are being tracked down and killed by their enemies.
Although I Am Number Four came at a time when young adult stories were booming in Hollywood, the 2011 film did not spark the same excitement that The Hunger Games or Divergent did. On a budget of $50-59 million, the film made $149.9 million, which isn’t necessarily bad, but was not the outstanding performance of other movies of its genre. Furthermore, the movie was a critical flop. With a 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has been described as predictable and forgettable. Therefore, there are plenty of problems to revamp with the I Am Number Four reboot.
It was recently announced that I Am Number Four is getting a reboot movie. This news came from the book series’ authors, James Frey and Jobie Hughes, who are jointly known as Pitticus Lore. According to an interview done with Sci-Fi & Fantasy Gazette, James Frey revealed that the original writers of the 2011 I Am Number Four movie are returning for the reboot film. Notably, these writers, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, worked most recently on Netflix’s hit, Wednesday. Though I Am Number Four’s reboot may not actually happen, it is certainly being worked on at this time.
The I Am Number Four reboot is exciting because it can finally adapt the 2010 novel in a way that will succeed and get audiences interested. While the movie didn’t necessarily flop at the box office, reactions to the movie itself were less-than-stellar. In this way, rebooting I Am Number Four gives the story a second chance to really shine. If the reboot is done differently, avoiding the clichés that experts were critiquing in 2011, the movie has the opportunity to give I Am Number Four a second wind, ten years after the young adult sci-fi craze.
I Am Number Four had all the makings of a successful film franchise. Based on well-loved books and set to be adapted with I Am Number Four’s popular cast, including Alex Pettyfer, Dianna Agron, and Teresa Palmer, the movie should have been a hit.
As previously mentioned, the film only made $149 million, where The Hunger Games made $695.2 million the following year. Audiences were also unimpressed by the film, which was like any basic sci-fi thriller.
What went wrong with I Am Number Four was money and time. After the movie’s disappointing box office performance, DreamWorks wasn’t eager to continue with the franchise. So, although there were talks of adapting I Am Number Four’s sequel, “The Power of Six,” the movie never came to fruition. Then, significant time passed. Most people forgot about I Am Number Four, and the interest in a sequel waned. It is really a surprise that the movie is getting a reboot at all. However, there are clearly still passionate people out there who are dedicated to making this story work.
The most important thing the I Am Number Four reboot must do to succeed is fix the mistakes made by the 2011 movie. First and foremost, the first adaptation was made in a way that it didn’t stand out among other films in its genre. The reboot must change this. I Am Number Four’s reboot must figure out what makes this story special and then focus on that in the on-screen adaptation. Fans must be surprised and intrigued by the plot, even if they are familiar with the story. In this way, the stakes and interest will be higher.
On the flip side, I Am Number Four must also pull on nostalgia. Because it is a story from a completely different era in Hollywood, it could be beneficial to remind audiences of what they loved about the 2010s young adult craze. In this way, the reboot of I Am Number Four must avoid being predictable while also harking back to the greatest parts of young adult dystopia and sci-fi. If it can succeed in doing this, then I Am Number Four has the chance to see the success it missed in 2011.