How Fantasy Island 2021 Connects To The Original Show (& Movie)

Fox’s Fantasy Island series follows in the footsteps of two popular versions of the story told in the original show and the 2020 movie. The new series offers an alternate take on the fantastical premise, differentiating itself from the original Ricardo Montalbán-led hit and last year’s critically panned Fantasy Island movie. However, despite the differences between the three interpretations, there is also a lot that connects the current series with what’s come before.

The ongoing drama, which debuted on August 10, 2021, follows the story of the enigmatic Elena Roarke, played by Puerto Rican actress Roselyn Sánchez. Like the original show, the series includes fantastical elements, such as a fountain that de-ages anyone who bathes in it and a mysterious host who both helps guests fulfill their desires and also appears as a slightly sinister presence. The show officially functions as a direct sequel to the original, but there are other, more surprising similarities between the different Fantasy Island titles.

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One key connection that is yet to be fully explored in the current series is Sánchez and Montalbán’s characters’ shared surnames. Both are named “Roarke,” which would seem to offer a narrative through line joining past and present stories. In the original, Montalbán’s Roarke gave the show its moral compass, with the character often providing guests with cryptic warnings about their proposed fantasies. In rare cases, he would even intervene to prevent anything too dark from happening. Similarly, Sánchez’s Roarke serves as the arbiter of the island, welcoming guests and curating their fantasies. Since the new show is only two episodes in, it’s too early to know for sure how closely both characters are connected. What’s undeniable, however, is that there is a link.

Both shows also share a similar tone. Despite both containing hallucinogenic and occasionally scary moments, neither the old nor the new series ever tips into full-fledged horror. Instead, the two series emphasize the more surreal elements of their stories. This represents a significant difference from the 2020 Fantasy Island movie, which marketed itself as a horror/thriller. Although the movie was a box office success, taking over $40 million against a $7 million budget, it was a radically different project compared to the small screen versions.

However, even though the film took the Fantasy Island story in a completely different direction, there are still links between it and the source material. For instance, Michael Peña’s homicidal island host is also called Mr. Roarke. Additionally, one of Fantasy Island‘s guests adopts the name “Tattoo” at the end of the film, becoming Roarke’s assistant. This means that the film functions as both a reinterpretation and a prequel to the original series. Either way, these various connective threads mean there’s plenty for fans to ponder over in the new Fantasy Island show.

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