Have you ever met someone who loves the same book, film, or show as you, but for completely different reasons? Fandom isn’t just about what we love; it’s about when and how we first experienced it. Whether it’s Harry Potter, Star Wars or Matilda every generation latches onto a version of a story that feels like the definitive one.

For me, Matilda is the Roald Dahl book and the 1996 film with Mara Wilson, her red ribbon blowing in the wind, her magic making pancakes dance to Send Me on My Way by Rusted Root, Amanda Thripp being terrorised by her very own pigtails (“My mummy thinks they’re sweet.” “Your mummy is a twit!”), and Bruce Bogtrotter bravely devours that infamous chocolate cake under Miss Trunchbull’s (and Cookie’s) menacing glare. That’s the Matilda I grew up with, the one that shaped my love for the story. But for kids today? It seems to be the Netflix adaptation or the stage musical that’s gripped them. Some wouldn’t even recognise the original, so why would they have a fandom for it? Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the newer versions. Tim Minchin’s music is brilliant, and the songs are constantly on a loop in my head. But my fandom? It’s rooted in nostalgia, in the warmth of returning to the version that first captured my imagination. The core story remains the same, but the way we connect with it evolves over time.

I’m not one of those people who refuses to watch a remake out of loyalty to the original, but when I love something, I do get pretty passionate about it. The Lion King is my favourite Disney film (and my favourite film, full stop). And whilst I enjoyed the live-action adaptation, nothing quite beats the original 2D animation. I think sometimes, things are just better in their simplest, or most original form (same goes for Dairy Milk chocolate in my opinion!). 

And I’ve concluded that my fandoms are deeply tied to when and where I first experienced them and, just as importantly, who I was with. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m quite a sentimental person, and that nostalgia carries through to the things I love. Most of my strongest fandoms come from watching or experiencing things with my siblings growing up. I’m several years younger than them, so whether or not I should have been watching the same things as them at the same time is another story entirely!

Take The Parent Trap, for example. My sister and I can practically quote the entire film, we’ve mastered Annie and Hallie’s handshake, and I’ve watched it more times than I can count on my fingers and toes. Honestly, it could be my Mastermind specialist subject. And, of course, I’m talking about the 1998 version starring Lindsay Lohan. The original came out in 1961, and I couldn’t care less about it, but perhaps people of my parents’ generation could.

In a way, that makes me just like the kids today who have no interest in the Matilda I grew up with. It’s all coming full circle! And that’s why remakes and reboots are such a goldmine, but also why they can completely miss the mark. When a story gets reimagined, it isn’t just updating for a new generation; it’s reshaping the nostalgia that will define someone else’s fandom years down the line.