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* The 1928 French film version of ''[[Film/TheFallOfTheHouseOfUsher1928France The Fall of the House of Usher]]'' takes some pretty serious liberties with the short story by Creator/EdgarAllanPoe. First, Roderick and Madeline are husband-and-wife instead of siblings, thus eliminating the IncestSubtext from the story. Second, and even more surprisingly, Roderick and Madeline escape the collapsing Usher mansion alive.
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* Although ''WesternAnimation/Hercules'' has some dark moments, it was created as a lighter followup to the edgy ''HunchBack Of Notre Dame'' and, to a lesser extent, Pocahontas.
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* Although ''WesternAnimation/Hercules'' ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'' has some dark moments, it was created as a lighter followup to the edgy ''HunchBack Of Notre Dame'' and, to a lesser extent, Pocahontas.
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* ''Film/{{Cinderella 2015}}'' compared to Disney's previous [[Film/{{Maleficent}} live-action]] [[Film/AliceInWonderland adaptations]]. In fact, compared to almost the entire Disney canon. This is the rare Disney film in which not a single character attempts to kill or seriously harm another at any point.
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* Although ''WesternAnimation/Hercules'' has some dark moments, it was created as a lighter followup to the edgy ''HunchBack Of Notre Dame'' and, to a lesser extent, Pocahontas.
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* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'' is still somewhat dark, due to Bikini Bottom becoming an [[TheApunkalypse apunkalypse]] for a good chunk of the film, but otherwise it's not as serious as ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'''s surprisingly disturbing {{dystopia}}.
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* Russian 1994 adaptation of [[Creator/FranzKafka The Castle]] by Alexei Balabanov is much more idealistic and optimistic that the novel. It even added an ending to unfinished novel - [[spoiler: The protagonist failed his quest, but he will have a nice new life as peasant.]] Made even more bizzare by the fact that Balabanov was (in)famous for his movies being incredibly cynical and depressing.
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* ''Son of Kong'' was made to be a more light-hearted adventure than ''Film/KingKong1933''. The body count is much lower than in the first film, and Little Kong is more cute and comedic than his destructive father.
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* ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'' is a horror-comedy that's ''pretty'' dark, though it features a cute little furry creature so many kids saw it. ''Gremlins2TheNewBatch'', despite the PG-13 rating [[note]]The original ''Gremlins'' was so dark for its PG rating that the PG-13 rating was almost immediately created.[[/note]], is much lighter in tone. While there is still quite a lot of violence, it's much more absurd and generally played for slapstick. Most tellingly, the film even [[BreakingTheFourthWall breaks the fourth wall]] to give Wrestling/HulkHogan a humorous cameo.
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* ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'' is a horror-comedy that's ''pretty'' dark, though it features a cute little furry creature so many kids saw it. ''Gremlins2TheNewBatch'', ''Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch'', despite the PG-13 rating [[note]]The original ''Gremlins'' was so dark for its PG rating that the PG-13 rating was almost immediately created.[[/note]], is much lighter in tone. While there is still quite a lot of violence, it's much more absurd and generally played for slapstick. Most tellingly, the film even [[BreakingTheFourthWall breaks the fourth wall]] to give Wrestling/HulkHogan a humorous cameo.
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* The straight-to-DVD animated movie ''WesternAnimation/UltimateAvengers'' and its sequel, ''UltimateAvengers2,'' are kid-friendly adaptations of Mark Millar's ''TheUltimates'' -- which itself is a DarkerAndEdgier version of ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''.
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* The straight-to-DVD animated movie ''WesternAnimation/UltimateAvengers'' and its sequel, ''UltimateAvengers2,'' ''Ultimate Avengers 2,'' are kid-friendly adaptations of Mark Millar's ''TheUltimates'' ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'' -- which itself is a DarkerAndEdgier version of ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''.
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* The straight-to-DVD animated movie ''UltimateAvengers'' and its sequel, ''UltimateAvengers2,'' are kid-friendly adaptations of Mark Millar's ''TheUltimates'' -- which itself is a DarkerAndEdgier version of ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''.
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* The straight-to-DVD animated movie ''UltimateAvengers'' ''WesternAnimation/UltimateAvengers'' and its sequel, ''UltimateAvengers2,'' are kid-friendly adaptations of Mark Millar's ''TheUltimates'' -- which itself is a DarkerAndEdgier version of ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''.
* ''WesternAnimation/JLAAdventuresTrappedInTime'', ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnlimitedAnimalInstincts'', and ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnlimitedMonsterMayhem'' all provide more kid-friendly fare compared to the more adult-target WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies''.
* ''WesternAnimation/JLAAdventuresTrappedInTime'', ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnlimitedAnimalInstincts'', and ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnlimitedMonsterMayhem'' all provide more kid-friendly fare compared to the more adult-target WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies''.
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* ''Film/SpiderMan2'' toned down some of the violence of the first film and was given a PG by the British Board of Film Classification. This was after ''Film/SpiderMan'' was given a 12 rating by the BBFC and described it as one of the most violent films ever aimed at young children, saying that some scenes even warranted a 15. Many councils (who have the final word on film censorship in the UK) boycotted this decision, releasing it as PG or PG-12, but ''Spider-Man'' stayed in cinemas long enough for young children to be admitted more widely (under adult supervision) following the introduction of the 12A rating.
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* ''Film/SpiderMan2'' toned down some of the violence of the first film and was given a PG by the British Board of Film Classification. This was after ''Film/SpiderMan'' ''Film/SpiderMan1'' was given a 12 rating by the BBFC and described it as one of the most violent films ever aimed at young children, saying that some scenes even warranted a 15. Many councils (who have the final word on film censorship in the UK) boycotted this decision, releasing it as PG or PG-12, but ''Spider-Man'' stayed in cinemas long enough for young children to be admitted more widely (under adult supervision) following the introduction of the 12A rating.
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* The 5th ''Film/ChildsPlay'', ''Seed of Chucky'', following the tradition of horror franchises eventually collapsing into self-parody. Even the AssholeVictim (played by JohnWaters) in the 5th is of LoveToHate quality thanks to Waters' comedic LargeHam performance, in contrast to the previous downright mean-spirited HateSink or TheScrappy ones in the preceding films.
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* The 5th ''Film/ChildsPlay'', ''Seed of Chucky'', ''Film/SeedOfChucky'', following the tradition of horror franchises eventually collapsing into self-parody. Even the AssholeVictim (played by JohnWaters) in the 5th is of LoveToHate quality thanks to Waters' comedic LargeHam performance, in contrast to the previous downright mean-spirited HateSink or TheScrappy ones in the preceding films.
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* The song "Keep It Gay" from ''Film/TheProducers'' lampshades the practice of softening up musical adaptations.
-->"Whether it's murder, mayhem or rage. It's a pain. Don't complain. Keep it gay!"
-->"Whether it's murder, mayhem or rage. It's a pain. Don't complain. Keep it gay!"
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* ''Film/IntoTheWoods'', compared to [[Theatre/IntoTheWoods the stage show]] but only marginally. Gruesome parts like the Baker cutting The Wolf open and the stepsisters getting their feet cut up are given a GoryDiscretionShot. The death of [[spoiler: Jack's mother]] is softened, while [[spoiler: Rapunzel lives]].
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* ''Film/IntoTheWoods'', compared to [[Theatre/IntoTheWoods the stage show]] but only marginally. Gruesome parts like the Baker cutting The Wolf open and the stepsisters getting their feet cut up are given a GoryDiscretionShot. The death of [[spoiler: Jack's mother]] is softened, while [[spoiler: Rapunzel lives]]. lives]].
* In-universe in Film/BeyondTheLights. Noni ultimately sheds her hyper-sexual, bad girl image in favor of a more natural one that is closer to who she actually is. The trope is also played with as the content of her music shifts from focusing on sex and partying (industry standard) to discussing her coming to terms and dealing with her depression (hardly something discussed by budding pop stars).
* In-universe in Film/BeyondTheLights. Noni ultimately sheds her hyper-sexual, bad girl image in favor of a more natural one that is closer to who she actually is. The trope is also played with as the content of her music shifts from focusing on sex and partying (industry standard) to discussing her coming to terms and dealing with her depression (hardly something discussed by budding pop stars).
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* The 5th ''Film/ChildsPlay'', ''Seed of Chucky'', following the tradition of horror franchises eventually collapsing into self-parody.
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* The 5th ''Film/ChildsPlay'', ''Seed of Chucky'', following the tradition of horror franchises eventually collapsing into self-parody. Even the AssholeVictim (played by JohnWaters) in the 5th is of LoveToHate quality thanks to Waters' comedic LargeHam performance, in contrast to the previous downright mean-spirited HateSink or TheScrappy ones in the preceding films.
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* ''Film/IntoTheWoods'', compared to [[Theatre/IntoTheWoods the stage show]] but only marginally. Gruesome parts like the Baker cutting The Wolf open and the stepsisters getting their feet cut up are given a GoryDiscretionShot. The death of [[spoiler: Jack's mother]] is softened, while [[spoiler: Rapunzel lives]].
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* ''Film/TheStepfordWives'' book and film were both intense thrillers. The 2004 remake, was more comedic in tone, and the scheme in this film, while not unpleasant, was less nefarious: [[spoiler: Rather than kill the wives and replace them with robots, the wives are brainwashed with computer chips. Not to mention Walter, Joanna's husband, is able to stop the scheme rather than join in on it.]]
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* ''Film/TheStepfordWives'' book and film were both intense thrillers. The 2004 remake, was more comedic in tone, and the scheme in this film, while not still unpleasant, was less nefarious: [[spoiler: Rather than kill the wives and replace them with robots, the wives are brainwashed with computer chips. Not to mention Walter, Joanna's husband, is able to stop the scheme rather than join in on it.]]
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* ''Simon Birch'': While it ends bittersweetly and is still a drama, is much more light hearted than the [[Literature/APrayerForOwenMeany novel]] its based off of, and ends with [[spoiler: the main character having a normal and adjusted adult life, opposed to the novel, where Owen, whom Simon is based off of, dies rather violently, and Johnny, whom Joe is based off of, spends his days as a mopey, perpetually single man.]]
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* ''Simon Birch'': While it ends bittersweetly and is still a drama, [[Literature/APrayerForOwenMeany is much more light hearted than the [[Literature/APrayerForOwenMeany novel]] novel its based off of, of]], and ends with [[spoiler: the main character having a normal and adjusted adult life, opposed to the novel, where Owen, whom Simon is based off of, dies rather violently, and Johnny, whom Joe is based off of, spends his days as a mopey, perpetually single man.]]
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* ''Franchise/EvilDead'': The original ''Film/TheEvilDead'' is a straight horror film. The remake/sequel ''Film/EvilDead2'' added elements of dark comedy and even slapstick to the mix. Finally, ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'' focused mostly on wisecracks and slapstick action, playing like a parody of an action fantasy film.
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* ''Franchise/EvilDead'': The original ''Film/TheEvilDead'' ''Film/{{The Evil Dead|1981}}'' is a straight horror film. The remake/sequel ''Film/EvilDead2'' added elements of dark comedy and even slapstick to the mix. Finally, ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'' focused mostly on wisecracks and slapstick action, playing like a parody of an action fantasy film.
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* ''The Franchise/EvilDead'' is a straight horror film. The remake/sequel ''Franchise/EvilDead 2'' added elements of dark comedy and even slapstick to the mix. Finally, ''Army of Darkness'' focused mostly on wisecracks and slapstick action, playing like a parody of an action fantasy film.
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* ''The Franchise/EvilDead'' ''Franchise/EvilDead'': The original ''Film/TheEvilDead'' is a straight horror film. The remake/sequel ''Franchise/EvilDead 2'' ''Film/EvilDead2'' added elements of dark comedy and even slapstick to the mix. Finally, ''Army of Darkness'' ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'' focused mostly on wisecracks and slapstick action, playing like a parody of an action fantasy film.
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* ''Battle for the Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes'', in contrast to the previous and very dark ''Conquest'' (and more so if you watch the version with the [[ExecutiveMeddling original, uncensored ending]]).
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* ''Battle for the Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes'', ''Film/BattleForThePlanetOfTheApes'', in contrast to the previous and very dark ''Conquest'' ''Film/ConquestOfThePlanetOfTheApes'' (and more so if you watch the version with the [[ExecutiveMeddling original, uncensored ending]]).
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* West Bank Story, a modern-day parody of ''WestSideStory'', focusing two fast food restaurants in the [[AraIsraeliConflict occupied West Bank]]. There is much less violence (and most of that is property damage [[PlayedForLaughs for sheer comedy]]), no deaths, and a HappyEnding, all different to the original.
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* West Bank Story, a modern-day parody of ''WestSideStory'', ''Film/WestSideStory'', focusing two fast food restaurants in the [[AraIsraeliConflict occupied West Bank]]. There is much less violence (and most of that is property damage [[PlayedForLaughs for sheer comedy]]), no deaths, and a HappyEnding, all different to the original.
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* ''Simon Birch'': While it ends bittersweetly and is still a drama, is much more light hearted than the [[Literature/APrayerForOwenMeany novel]] its based off of, and ends with [[spoiler: the main character having a normal and adjusted adult life, opposed to the novel, where Owen, whom Simon is based off of, dies rather violently, and Johnny, whom Joe is based off of, spends his days as a mopey, perpetually single man.]]
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* The MGM Creator/MarxBrothers movies, starting with ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera''. Creator/RogerEbert, though praising the film, found that their SignatureStyle was ComedicSociopathy and anarchy, as opposed to later films, where they become more heroic and tend to take an active interest in the plot. For instance, in the last non-MGM film, ''Film/DuckSoup'', Groucho's character is basically a dumber and more frivolous BenitoMussolini; in ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera'', he's strictly a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
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* The MGM Creator/MarxBrothers movies, starting with ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera''. Creator/RogerEbert, though praising the film, found that their SignatureStyle was ComedicSociopathy and anarchy, as opposed to later films, where they become more heroic and tend to take an active interest in the plot. For instance, in the last non-MGM film, ''Film/DuckSoup'', Groucho's character is basically a dumber and more frivolous BenitoMussolini; UsefulNotes/BenitoMussolini; in ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera'', he's strictly a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
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* The ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' films of the 1960s-1970s Showa era were considerably more kid-friendly and light-hearted in tone compared to the ''very'' dark [[Film/{{Gojira}} original 1954 film]].
** ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'' is both this AND DarkerAndEdgier. While it lacked the family-friendly tone or camp of the Showa era, it still portrays Godzilla is positive light. Godzilla avoids harming humans and saves humanity by defeating the Mutos. Unlike previous incarnations [[spoiler:, in which Godzilla is feared and despised even when he saves the world, this Godzilla is hailed as a hero with people cheering for him after his victory.]]
** ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'' is both this AND DarkerAndEdgier. While it lacked the family-friendly tone or camp of the Showa era, it still portrays Godzilla is positive light. Godzilla avoids harming humans and saves humanity by defeating the Mutos. Unlike previous incarnations [[spoiler:, in which Godzilla is feared and despised even when he saves the world, this Godzilla is hailed as a hero with people cheering for him after his victory.]]
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* The ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' films of the 1960s-1970s Showa era were considerably more kid-friendly and light-hearted in tone compared to the ''very'' dark [[Film/{{Gojira}} original 1954 film]].
**film]]. In comparison, ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'' is both this AND DarkerAndEdgier. While it lacked the family-friendly tone or camp of the Showa era, it still portrays Godzilla is positive light. Godzilla avoids harming humans and saves humanity by defeating the Mutos. Unlike previous incarnations [[spoiler:, in which Godzilla is feared and despised even when he saves the world, this Godzilla is hailed as a hero with people cheering for him after his victory.]]
**
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* The ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' films of the 1960s-1970s were considerably more kid-friendly and light-hearted in tone compared to the ''very'' dark [[Film/{{Gojira}} original 1954 film]].
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* The ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' films of the 1960s-1970s Showa era were considerably more kid-friendly and light-hearted in tone compared to the ''very'' dark [[Film/{{Gojira}} original 1954 film]].film]].
** ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'' is both this AND DarkerAndEdgier. While it lacked the family-friendly tone or camp of the Showa era, it still portrays Godzilla is positive light. Godzilla avoids harming humans and saves humanity by defeating the Mutos. Unlike previous incarnations [[spoiler:, in which Godzilla is feared and despised even when he saves the world, this Godzilla is hailed as a hero with people cheering for him after his victory.]]
** ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'' is both this AND DarkerAndEdgier. While it lacked the family-friendly tone or camp of the Showa era, it still portrays Godzilla is positive light. Godzilla avoids harming humans and saves humanity by defeating the Mutos. Unlike previous incarnations [[spoiler:, in which Godzilla is feared and despised even when he saves the world, this Godzilla is hailed as a hero with people cheering for him after his victory.]]
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* ''Film/TheStepfordWives'' book and film were both intense thrillers. The 2004 remake, was more comedic in tone, and the scheme in this film, while not unpleasant, was less nefarious: [[spoiler: Rather than kill the wives and replace them with robots, the wives are brainwashed with computer chips. Not to mention Walter, Joanna's husband, is able to stop the scheme rather than join in on it.]]
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* ''Film/EvanAlmighty'' was made as a family-friendly film, compared to the spontaneous orgasms and F-Bombs of [[Film/BruceAlmighty the film]] it was a sequel of.
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* Within Film/TheDarkKnightSaga itself, ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''. While it still maintains a comparatively serious tone to many other Superhero films, it's more of a straight-up action movie than [[Film/TheDarkKnight its predecessor]] (which can be considered more of a depressing drama on psychopathy - in other words, ''impossibly'' dark), and even [[spoiler: has a happy ending]].
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* Within Film/TheDarkKnightSaga ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'' itself, ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''. While it still maintains a comparatively serious tone to many other Superhero films, it's more of a straight-up action movie than [[Film/TheDarkKnight its predecessor]] (which can be considered more of a depressing drama on psychopathy - in other words, ''impossibly'' dark), and even [[spoiler: has a happy ending]].
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* West Bank Story, a modern-day parody of ''WestSideStory'', focusing two fast food restaurants in the [[AraIsraeliConflict occupied West Bank]]. There is much less violence (and most of that is property damage [[PlayedForLaughs for sheer comedy]]), no deaths, and a HappyEnding, all different to the original.
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** ''Disney/HomeOnTheRange'' broke a trend started in 1989 of Disney movies featuring {{Family Unfriendly Death}}s, Nightmare Fuel, heavy emotion, and dark themes. You can ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing - this was not a good thing.
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** ''Disney/HomeOnTheRange'' broke a trend started in 1989 of Disney movies featuring {{Family Unfriendly Death}}s, Nightmare Fuel, heavy emotion, and dark themes. You can ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing - Whether this was not a good thing.thing or not [[BrokenBase depends on who you ask.]]
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!!Animated Films
* The ''WesternAnimation/OpenSeason'' sequels and rest of the series are like this, except for the short ''Boog and Elliot's Midnight Bun Run''.
* [[FanonDiscontinuity Believe it or not]], there's the Italian animated film ''WesternAnimation/TitanicTheLegendGoesOn'', which made a Disney-like fairy tale out of a real-life disaster where over fifteen hundred people died. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And the dog raps]].
** Possibly parodied in a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' animated segment, featuring Creator/JasonAlexander as "Titey", Creator/WhoopiGoldberg as the Iceberg, and ... Anne Frank?
** And then there's ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfTheTitanic'', in which evil sharks tricked a dopey octopus into throwing an iceberg in front of the ship. Tentacles the octopus saves the day, and everyone survives. In the sequel the shark raps.
* [[{{Sequelitis}} Some Disney DTV sequels]].
** ''Disney/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'' is an aversion. It's as dark, if not {{darker|AndEdgier}}, as [[Disney/TheLionKing the first movie]].
** ''Disney/LiloAndStitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch'' is also an aversion.
** The ''Disney/BrotherBear'' featured the tearjerking [[spoiler: deaths of Kenai's brother Sitka and Koda's mother]], so the sequel is more lighthearted by comparison, until near the end where [[spoiler:Kenai nearly dies after Nita's fiance tries to kill him]]
** ''Disney/{{Bambi}} II'' is a midquel that focuses on Bambi's relationship with his father, but it's [[DownplayedTrope a somewhat mild example]], given the original mostly wasn't ''that'' dark to begin with. While it does not feature violent shooting deaths or a forest fire, we see Bambi put in not one but two near-death situations, him coming to terms with his mother's death (even [[YankTheDogsChain getting his chain yanked]] and nearly getting shot by a hunter for believing she was still alive) and the stress of [[WellDoneSonGuy earning his stern father's approval.]]
** The sequel to ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', especially as the original movie is one of the darkest animated movies of all time. Comparing the villains of both installments (Judge Claude Frollo vs [[SissyVillain Sarousch]]) makes it even moreso.
** ''[[WesternAnimation/PoohsGrandAdventure Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search For Christopher Robin]]'' averts this The Winnie the Pooh franchise was mostly marketed to kids so it was already light and soft to begin with, but in a possible attempt to avoid this trope this direct-to-video sequel was chockfull of Nightmare Fuel.
** ''Disney/TheFoxAndTheHound'' II. It's about Tod and Copper [[WackyWaysideTribe joining a band]]. It doesn't help that the entire movie, a sequel to one of Disney's most tear-jerking, maturely themed works, TastesLikeDiabetes.
* ''Disney/TheFoxAndTheHound'' .In the [[Literature/TheFoxAndTheHound original book]] Todd and Copper weren't even friends. [[spoiler: They die at the end.]]
* Apart from sequels, some installments in the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon tend to be much, ''much'' lighter than others, standing out because of this.
** ''Disney/{{Dumbo}}'' was this during Walt Disney's heyday. It was produced on a lower budget with less intricate animation, intended mainly to generate money and therefore more catered toward the intended audience, which resulted in (while still emotionally heavy compared to today's kids films) a more light-hearted adventure compared to the other movies of that era (''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', ''Disney/{{Pinocchio}}'', ''Disney/{{Fantasia}}'' and ''Disney/{{Bambi}}''). ''Dumbo'' does an excellent job of proving [[TropesAreTools Tropes Are Not Bad]] in this case, however.
** ''Disney/TheAristocats''. Both movies [[Disney/TheJungleBook preceding]] and [[Disney/RobinHood succeeding]] it had gut-wrenching moments and violent, possibly frightening imagery.
** ''Disney/HomeOnTheRange'' broke a trend started in 1989 of Disney movies featuring {{Family Unfriendly Death}}s, Nightmare Fuel, heavy emotion, and dark themes. You can ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing - this was not a good thing.
** The second ''Disney/WinnieThePooh'' movie in the Disney Animated Canon is this towards ''Disney/TheManyAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh'', faithful as both adaptations are to their source material.
** The original Creator/HansChristianAndersen version of ''Literature/TheLittleMermaid'' ends on a by ''far'' darker note than [[Disney/TheLittleMermaid the Disney version]]. [[spoiler: The Prince marries another woman. The Mermaid is given a LastSecondChance to return to the sea by murdering him with an enchanted knife, but unable to murder the man she loves she throws herself into the sea and turns into foam. That's right, she ''dies''.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime''. The first one, while still primarily aimed at children was very dark, featuring the child dinosaurs coming very close to dying several times, adults dinosaurs actually dying, including Littlefoot's mother, who fought a T-Rex, getting a nasty gash on her neck among other things. And then... [[{{Sequelitis}} the sequels came]]. NeverSayDie was introduced, to the point where it seems the T-Rexes at most just want to scare the herbivores, and put very little effort into feeding. It gets particularly stupid when a triceratops rammed one, and only pushed it back. Oh, and [[DisneyAcidSequence big musical numbers too]], something the original neither had nor needed. This was par the course for every Creator/DonBluth movie ever to receive a sequel. The most major example is ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH II''; it is far more light hearted and family friendly than the very dark original.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBraveLittleToaster'' sequels are much lighter than original film.
* The straight-to-DVD animated movie ''UltimateAvengers'' and its sequel, ''UltimateAvengers2,'' are kid-friendly adaptations of Mark Millar's ''TheUltimates'' -- which itself is a DarkerAndEdgier version of ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''.
!!Live-Action Films
* ''Film/TheCollection'' is much lighter and softer than ''Film/TheCollector'' in that [[spoiler: it has a much happier ending and feeling in general]].
* This was done well in ''Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome''. ExecutiveMeddling ensured the next film would be light-hearted as well. Suffice it to say that it didn't work quite as well the second time.
* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', following the DarkerAndEdgier ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom''. The trend continues in the next film, ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'', which is the most light and soft in the whole series.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', also produced by Creator/GeorgeLucas, was more kid-oriented than the well-received and DarkerAndEdgier ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', the previous film in the original trilogy. Interestingly enough, Lucas, who didn't direct either film, wanted ''The Empire Strikes Back'' to be lighter and softer; he was eventually convinced to keep it in its current form, and ended up hiring a director for ''ROTJ'' whom Lucas would direct through; nevertheless, [[TheScrappy The Ewoks]] and their antics are mostly responsible for the lighter tone, while the scenes that ''don't'' involve them (Jabba's palace, the Emperor, etc) are still pretty dark.
** In the prequel trilogy, ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' and ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' are noticeably lighter in tone, particularly the former, whereas ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' was ''substantially'' DarkerAndEdgier. (For comparison: In Episode I, Anakin is a kid; in Episode III ''he murders several kids''.) In fact, it is the only PG-13 Star Wars film.
* ''The Franchise/EvilDead'' is a straight horror film. The remake/sequel ''Franchise/EvilDead 2'' added elements of dark comedy and even slapstick to the mix. Finally, ''Army of Darkness'' focused mostly on wisecracks and slapstick action, playing like a parody of an action fantasy film.
* ''Film/MadMax'' is an extremely bleak film with a brutal, downer ending. Even though ''Film/TheRoadWarrior'' takes place AfterTheEnd, it manages to have a lighter tone than the original film. The villains are less psychotic, there are many more sympathetic characters, and the ending is bittersweet. ''Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome'' further lightens the mood, with a plot focusing on a group of tribal children who dispatch enemies with {{frying pan|ofDoom}}s, and who aren't forced to face the machine guns and molotov cocktails of the first film.
* ''Film/RoboCop3'' intentionally toned down the extreme violence, profanity, and drug use of the first two in order to appeal to children. It bombed miserably.
* The Creator/JoelSchumacher-helmed ''Film/{{Batman}}'' films were considerably lighter in tone and content than the Creator/TimBurton installments that came before it, in part because of the parental outcry over how dark ''Film/BatmanReturns'' was. ([[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids Never mind it was rated PG-13]].) This more child-friendly approach went hand-in-hand with TheMerch, and contributed to the [[FranchiseKiller artistic catastrophe]] of ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', which led to a [[Film/TheDarkKnightSaga reboot]] to start afresh.
* Within Film/TheDarkKnightSaga itself, ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''. While it still maintains a comparatively serious tone to many other Superhero films, it's more of a straight-up action movie than [[Film/TheDarkKnight its predecessor]] (which can be considered more of a depressing drama on psychopathy - in other words, ''impossibly'' dark), and even [[spoiler: has a happy ending]].
* The ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' films of the 1960s-1970s were considerably more kid-friendly and light-hearted in tone compared to the ''very'' dark [[Film/{{Gojira}} original 1954 film]].
* When ''Film/GameraTheBrave'' rebooted the series after the dark and critically acclaimed Heisei trilogy, it went back to the child-friendly tone of the 60's films using a younger Gamera.
* The original ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}'' was about leading a revolution against a tyrant king. It featured countless war deaths, a boy getting run through by a stake, a man getting his eyes burnt out (offscreen), and a man getting slain with a battleaxe. The sequel, however, was about a boy raising a dragon and featured no actual violence (or real combat) whatsoever up until the last few minutes.
* ''Film/TheMask'' starring Creator/JimCarrey already made things too light and soft for most fans of [[ComicBook/TheMask the über-violent original series]] to accept. Then (11 years later) came ''Film/SonOfTheMask'', one of the most universally loathed movies ever, and kicked things down a notch, giving us a PG rating and sparing us the image of the Mask getting freaky with his wife. Although, let's be honest... none of us really wanted to see that.
* ''Franchise/MenInBlack'': [[Comicbook/MenInBlack The original comic series]] has the [=MiB=]'s main scheme as ''controlling'' the world order rather than maintaining it and would even [[KilledToUpholdTheMasquerade go as far as straight up murder]] [[HeKnowsTooMuch to keep things under wraps]]. The more family-friendly film series depicts the [=MiB=] as a highly secretive, but noble faction who simply make sure aliens don't mess with humans, the Earth or each other while living there and employ nifty neuralyzers instead of, well...[[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/65/MIBseries1.jpg 12-gauges]] to maintain their secrecy.
* ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'' is a horror-comedy that's ''pretty'' dark, though it features a cute little furry creature so many kids saw it. ''Gremlins2TheNewBatch'', despite the PG-13 rating [[note]]The original ''Gremlins'' was so dark for its PG rating that the PG-13 rating was almost immediately created.[[/note]], is much lighter in tone. While there is still quite a lot of violence, it's much more absurd and generally played for slapstick. Most tellingly, the film even [[BreakingTheFourthWall breaks the fourth wall]] to give Wrestling/HulkHogan a humorous cameo.
* Park Chan-Wook, director of ''Film/{{Oldboy}}'', said he wanted his film ''Film/ImACyborgButThatsOK'' to appeal to younger audiences as well. The tone is lighter than that of his Vengeance trilogy, but the movie starts with a girl "charging herself" by slitting her wrist and jamming a mains lead into the wound, taping it up carefully before flicking the switch.
* In the first ''Film/{{Critters}}'' the creatures were fairly serious killing machines but had a low body count, they grew when they ate, and some of them died in very violent ways; in the sequel they killed many more people and the creatures have some violent deaths but they are pretty goofy and less intelligent than in the original. The other two films are pretty silly and the bodycounts are pretty low.
* TheFilmOfTheBook of ''Literature/AndThenThereWereNone'' fits this trope. While the book doesn't go more than a few pages without using a (mild, all things considered) swear word, has oftentimes graphic depictions of most of the deaths, and [[KillEmAll kills 'em all]], the movie tones down the language to be [[UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode Hays Code]]-compliant, never shows more than the feet or hands of any dead person (if they're shown at all), and gives Vera and Lombard a happy ending. In contrast, the Russian version is DarkerAndEdgier: You get a seriously twisted sex scene between the two "heroes", ''no'' {{gory discretion shot}}s, [[FanDisservice fan service with a creepy context behind it]], a FlashbackNightmare for a character who cheerfully dismissed his crime in the book, ''and'' the characters [[HearingVoices slowly]] [[SanitySlippage going]] [[DrivenToMadness insane]] one by one. It's the most faithful adaptation of the book; it just takes the book's darker themes and expands on them.
* The 5th ''Film/ChildsPlay'', ''Seed of Chucky'', following the tradition of horror franchises eventually collapsing into self-parody.
* ''Film/TheWarriors'': The book the movie is based on is considerably DarkerAndEdgier. The gang (called the Devastators in the book) are {{Villain Protagonist}}s with no redeeming features. Along the way, they brutally gang rape and abandon a random girl. In the film, the Warriors are a bunch of crude but proud street toughs who are unjustly accused of a murder. The girl that was raped in the novel is turned into a love interest in the film.
* ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}'', the 1968 musical adaptation of ''Literature/OliverTwist''. Granted, most musicals are this by nature, but still, the original book is pretty grim.
* While they were still R-rated, each ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' was more surreal and comedic than the one before it, peaking with ''Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare'', which has Freddy doing a Wicked Witch of the West impression ("I'll get you my pretty, and your little soul too!") during the first few minutes.
* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' series which gradually became campier until they began parodying themselves. Compare the tongue-in-cheek sci-fi based ''Film/JasonX'' with the dark slasher movie tone of the originals.
* All of the sequels to ''Film/TheHowling'' save for ''Howling IV: The Original Nightmare'' (which was closest to the novel), and ''Howling: The Rebirth''.
* Compare the first ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' film with the [[GuiltyPleasures second]] and [[TotallyRadical third]]. The reason for the second movie being lighter and softer than the first was due to the MoralGuardians reacting to the use of weapons and a few instances of the word "damn" here and there. In fact, all TMNT adaptations are lighter and softer than [[Comicbook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage the original comics]], which include quite a lot of bloody murder and are not intended for children.
* American horror films usually gets accused of this in spite of the "Splatter Pack" directors. Although most of them are foreign directors.
* ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982'' is an R-rated fantasy epic that contained considerable amounts of violence and nudity. It also has a large following of fans who consider it one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. For the 1984 sequel ''Film/ConanTheDestroyer'' the studio decided they wanted a more family-friendly Conan. The result was a PG-rated, more lighthearted Conan adventure that was poorly received by fans of the original film.
* ''Battle for the Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes'', in contrast to the previous and very dark ''Conquest'' (and more so if you watch the version with the [[ExecutiveMeddling original, uncensored ending]]).
* ''Film/SpiderMan2'' toned down some of the violence of the first film and was given a PG by the British Board of Film Classification. This was after ''Film/SpiderMan'' was given a 12 rating by the BBFC and described it as one of the most violent films ever aimed at young children, saying that some scenes even warranted a 15. Many councils (who have the final word on film censorship in the UK) boycotted this decision, releasing it as PG or PG-12, but ''Spider-Man'' stayed in cinemas long enough for young children to be admitted more widely (under adult supervision) following the introduction of the 12A rating.
* ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''--the Galaxy is presented as more wondrous and grand than the dull, bureaucratic "Earth-society-but-bigger" version we tend to get, and the film ends with [[spoiler:the new Earth being put in the place of the old one rather than being dismantled when construction shuts down as in the other versions.]]
* Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' and ''Film/{{Starman}}'', compared to previous works like ''Film/{{Halloween 1978}}'', ''Film/TheThing1982'', ''Film/EscapeFromNewYork'', ''Film/PrinceOfDarkness'' and ''Film/TheyLive''.
* Film/JamesBond had it a few times. After the too realistic and bloody approach from the TimothyDalton years, came the more comedic Creator/PierceBrosnan era. After Creator/DanielCraig got too dark on ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' (which many dissed as a "more [[Film/TheBourneSeries Bourne]] than Bond") the series goes back to its lighthearted roots in ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' (Although by not much since it still lacks the same whimsy as the Brosnan/Moore era).
* The 1938 ''Film/{{A Christmas Carol|1938}}'' is more light-hearted than other adaptations, and leaves out a number of crucial scenes detailing Scrooge's StartOfDarkness and BadFuture.
* ''Film/RedDawn1984'' was a depressing UsefulNotes/ColdWar story about a resistance fighting a HopelessWar against the Russians. [[Film/RedDawn2012 The 2012 version]] felt more hopeful.
* ''Film/TheCrow'' is this compared to [[Comicbook/TheCrow the comic book]]. Of course, the film is still very dark, but the violence was toned down, and the main character is less of a sociopath.
* ''Film/JackTheGiantSlayer'' is this compared to other recent fairy tale films such as ''Film/SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman'' and ''Film/RedRidingHood''.
* [[Film/WorldWarZ The adaptation]] of the novel ''Literature/WorldWarZ'' is lighter and softer, and also dumbed down for better or for worse. According to Creator/BradPitt it was too complicated for a summer blockbuster.
* ''Film/MyNameIsNobody'' is this compared to many of the serious {{Spaghetti Western}}s it [[AffectionateParody parodies]]. There's more humor, the violence is less brutal (no {{Gorn}} or torture), the BlackAndGrayMorality common to the genre is considerably softened (Jack Beauregard is rather jaded but has no real KickTheDog moments, Nobody is rather idealistic in his quirky way, and while the Wild Bunch are Bad People, the film doesn't depict any atrocities at the level of what [[Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest Frank]] or [[Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly Angel Eyes]] get up to), and it ends happily.
* ''Film/MirrorMirror'' is probably the most light-hearted film version of the [[Literature/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs fairytale ]] in which it was inspired (And also specially compared with ''Film/SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman'') There is much more comedy and slapstick, The Queen, while still a villain and a JerkAss with no redeeming features, has some comical traits and is somewhat less meaner, and also [[spoiler: at the end of the movie is revealed that Snow White's father is still alive, in sharp contrast with every other adaptation. ]]
* ''Film/PitchBlack'' was rated R for a good reason. ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'' was trimmed down by execs to a PG-13 rating and while it was still uber-violent, it was mostly BloodlessCarnage, though the unrated directors cut has more blood.
* The MGM Creator/MarxBrothers movies, starting with ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera''. Creator/RogerEbert, though praising the film, found that their SignatureStyle was ComedicSociopathy and anarchy, as opposed to later films, where they become more heroic and tend to take an active interest in the plot. For instance, in the last non-MGM film, ''Film/DuckSoup'', Groucho's character is basically a dumber and more frivolous BenitoMussolini; in ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera'', he's strictly a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
* The famous 1939 adaptation of ''TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' (the Judy Garland one everyone has seen) is ''much'' more sacchrine in tone than [[Literature/LandOfOz the original books]]. Yes, even with the Wicked Witch setting the Scarecrow on fire and threatening "AndYourLittleDogToo". The original {{TinMan}}'s backstory involved being compelled to chop himself to bits with his axe. The book had several beheadings, the Scarecrow performing NeckSnap on an entire murder of crows, the Wicked Witch enslaving Dorothy and the Lion after throwing the Scarecrow and Tin Woodsman down a ravine, and so forth. ''ReturnToOz'' was actually a much closer adaptation to {{LFrankBaum}}'s style.
----
* The ''WesternAnimation/OpenSeason'' sequels and rest of the series are like this, except for the short ''Boog and Elliot's Midnight Bun Run''.
* [[FanonDiscontinuity Believe it or not]], there's the Italian animated film ''WesternAnimation/TitanicTheLegendGoesOn'', which made a Disney-like fairy tale out of a real-life disaster where over fifteen hundred people died. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And the dog raps]].
** Possibly parodied in a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' animated segment, featuring Creator/JasonAlexander as "Titey", Creator/WhoopiGoldberg as the Iceberg, and ... Anne Frank?
** And then there's ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfTheTitanic'', in which evil sharks tricked a dopey octopus into throwing an iceberg in front of the ship. Tentacles the octopus saves the day, and everyone survives. In the sequel the shark raps.
* [[{{Sequelitis}} Some Disney DTV sequels]].
** ''Disney/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'' is an aversion. It's as dark, if not {{darker|AndEdgier}}, as [[Disney/TheLionKing the first movie]].
** ''Disney/LiloAndStitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch'' is also an aversion.
** The ''Disney/BrotherBear'' featured the tearjerking [[spoiler: deaths of Kenai's brother Sitka and Koda's mother]], so the sequel is more lighthearted by comparison, until near the end where [[spoiler:Kenai nearly dies after Nita's fiance tries to kill him]]
** ''Disney/{{Bambi}} II'' is a midquel that focuses on Bambi's relationship with his father, but it's [[DownplayedTrope a somewhat mild example]], given the original mostly wasn't ''that'' dark to begin with. While it does not feature violent shooting deaths or a forest fire, we see Bambi put in not one but two near-death situations, him coming to terms with his mother's death (even [[YankTheDogsChain getting his chain yanked]] and nearly getting shot by a hunter for believing she was still alive) and the stress of [[WellDoneSonGuy earning his stern father's approval.]]
** The sequel to ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', especially as the original movie is one of the darkest animated movies of all time. Comparing the villains of both installments (Judge Claude Frollo vs [[SissyVillain Sarousch]]) makes it even moreso.
** ''[[WesternAnimation/PoohsGrandAdventure Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search For Christopher Robin]]'' averts this The Winnie the Pooh franchise was mostly marketed to kids so it was already light and soft to begin with, but in a possible attempt to avoid this trope this direct-to-video sequel was chockfull of Nightmare Fuel.
** ''Disney/TheFoxAndTheHound'' II. It's about Tod and Copper [[WackyWaysideTribe joining a band]]. It doesn't help that the entire movie, a sequel to one of Disney's most tear-jerking, maturely themed works, TastesLikeDiabetes.
* ''Disney/TheFoxAndTheHound'' .In the [[Literature/TheFoxAndTheHound original book]] Todd and Copper weren't even friends. [[spoiler: They die at the end.]]
* Apart from sequels, some installments in the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon tend to be much, ''much'' lighter than others, standing out because of this.
** ''Disney/{{Dumbo}}'' was this during Walt Disney's heyday. It was produced on a lower budget with less intricate animation, intended mainly to generate money and therefore more catered toward the intended audience, which resulted in (while still emotionally heavy compared to today's kids films) a more light-hearted adventure compared to the other movies of that era (''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', ''Disney/{{Pinocchio}}'', ''Disney/{{Fantasia}}'' and ''Disney/{{Bambi}}''). ''Dumbo'' does an excellent job of proving [[TropesAreTools Tropes Are Not Bad]] in this case, however.
** ''Disney/TheAristocats''. Both movies [[Disney/TheJungleBook preceding]] and [[Disney/RobinHood succeeding]] it had gut-wrenching moments and violent, possibly frightening imagery.
** ''Disney/HomeOnTheRange'' broke a trend started in 1989 of Disney movies featuring {{Family Unfriendly Death}}s, Nightmare Fuel, heavy emotion, and dark themes. You can ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing - this was not a good thing.
** The second ''Disney/WinnieThePooh'' movie in the Disney Animated Canon is this towards ''Disney/TheManyAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh'', faithful as both adaptations are to their source material.
** The original Creator/HansChristianAndersen version of ''Literature/TheLittleMermaid'' ends on a by ''far'' darker note than [[Disney/TheLittleMermaid the Disney version]]. [[spoiler: The Prince marries another woman. The Mermaid is given a LastSecondChance to return to the sea by murdering him with an enchanted knife, but unable to murder the man she loves she throws herself into the sea and turns into foam. That's right, she ''dies''.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime''. The first one, while still primarily aimed at children was very dark, featuring the child dinosaurs coming very close to dying several times, adults dinosaurs actually dying, including Littlefoot's mother, who fought a T-Rex, getting a nasty gash on her neck among other things. And then... [[{{Sequelitis}} the sequels came]]. NeverSayDie was introduced, to the point where it seems the T-Rexes at most just want to scare the herbivores, and put very little effort into feeding. It gets particularly stupid when a triceratops rammed one, and only pushed it back. Oh, and [[DisneyAcidSequence big musical numbers too]], something the original neither had nor needed. This was par the course for every Creator/DonBluth movie ever to receive a sequel. The most major example is ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH II''; it is far more light hearted and family friendly than the very dark original.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBraveLittleToaster'' sequels are much lighter than original film.
* The straight-to-DVD animated movie ''UltimateAvengers'' and its sequel, ''UltimateAvengers2,'' are kid-friendly adaptations of Mark Millar's ''TheUltimates'' -- which itself is a DarkerAndEdgier version of ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''.
!!Live-Action Films
* ''Film/TheCollection'' is much lighter and softer than ''Film/TheCollector'' in that [[spoiler: it has a much happier ending and feeling in general]].
* This was done well in ''Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome''. ExecutiveMeddling ensured the next film would be light-hearted as well. Suffice it to say that it didn't work quite as well the second time.
* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', following the DarkerAndEdgier ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom''. The trend continues in the next film, ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'', which is the most light and soft in the whole series.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', also produced by Creator/GeorgeLucas, was more kid-oriented than the well-received and DarkerAndEdgier ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', the previous film in the original trilogy. Interestingly enough, Lucas, who didn't direct either film, wanted ''The Empire Strikes Back'' to be lighter and softer; he was eventually convinced to keep it in its current form, and ended up hiring a director for ''ROTJ'' whom Lucas would direct through; nevertheless, [[TheScrappy The Ewoks]] and their antics are mostly responsible for the lighter tone, while the scenes that ''don't'' involve them (Jabba's palace, the Emperor, etc) are still pretty dark.
** In the prequel trilogy, ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' and ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' are noticeably lighter in tone, particularly the former, whereas ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' was ''substantially'' DarkerAndEdgier. (For comparison: In Episode I, Anakin is a kid; in Episode III ''he murders several kids''.) In fact, it is the only PG-13 Star Wars film.
* ''The Franchise/EvilDead'' is a straight horror film. The remake/sequel ''Franchise/EvilDead 2'' added elements of dark comedy and even slapstick to the mix. Finally, ''Army of Darkness'' focused mostly on wisecracks and slapstick action, playing like a parody of an action fantasy film.
* ''Film/MadMax'' is an extremely bleak film with a brutal, downer ending. Even though ''Film/TheRoadWarrior'' takes place AfterTheEnd, it manages to have a lighter tone than the original film. The villains are less psychotic, there are many more sympathetic characters, and the ending is bittersweet. ''Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome'' further lightens the mood, with a plot focusing on a group of tribal children who dispatch enemies with {{frying pan|ofDoom}}s, and who aren't forced to face the machine guns and molotov cocktails of the first film.
* ''Film/RoboCop3'' intentionally toned down the extreme violence, profanity, and drug use of the first two in order to appeal to children. It bombed miserably.
* The Creator/JoelSchumacher-helmed ''Film/{{Batman}}'' films were considerably lighter in tone and content than the Creator/TimBurton installments that came before it, in part because of the parental outcry over how dark ''Film/BatmanReturns'' was. ([[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids Never mind it was rated PG-13]].) This more child-friendly approach went hand-in-hand with TheMerch, and contributed to the [[FranchiseKiller artistic catastrophe]] of ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', which led to a [[Film/TheDarkKnightSaga reboot]] to start afresh.
* Within Film/TheDarkKnightSaga itself, ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''. While it still maintains a comparatively serious tone to many other Superhero films, it's more of a straight-up action movie than [[Film/TheDarkKnight its predecessor]] (which can be considered more of a depressing drama on psychopathy - in other words, ''impossibly'' dark), and even [[spoiler: has a happy ending]].
* The ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' films of the 1960s-1970s were considerably more kid-friendly and light-hearted in tone compared to the ''very'' dark [[Film/{{Gojira}} original 1954 film]].
* When ''Film/GameraTheBrave'' rebooted the series after the dark and critically acclaimed Heisei trilogy, it went back to the child-friendly tone of the 60's films using a younger Gamera.
* The original ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}'' was about leading a revolution against a tyrant king. It featured countless war deaths, a boy getting run through by a stake, a man getting his eyes burnt out (offscreen), and a man getting slain with a battleaxe. The sequel, however, was about a boy raising a dragon and featured no actual violence (or real combat) whatsoever up until the last few minutes.
* ''Film/TheMask'' starring Creator/JimCarrey already made things too light and soft for most fans of [[ComicBook/TheMask the über-violent original series]] to accept. Then (11 years later) came ''Film/SonOfTheMask'', one of the most universally loathed movies ever, and kicked things down a notch, giving us a PG rating and sparing us the image of the Mask getting freaky with his wife. Although, let's be honest... none of us really wanted to see that.
* ''Franchise/MenInBlack'': [[Comicbook/MenInBlack The original comic series]] has the [=MiB=]'s main scheme as ''controlling'' the world order rather than maintaining it and would even [[KilledToUpholdTheMasquerade go as far as straight up murder]] [[HeKnowsTooMuch to keep things under wraps]]. The more family-friendly film series depicts the [=MiB=] as a highly secretive, but noble faction who simply make sure aliens don't mess with humans, the Earth or each other while living there and employ nifty neuralyzers instead of, well...[[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/65/MIBseries1.jpg 12-gauges]] to maintain their secrecy.
* ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'' is a horror-comedy that's ''pretty'' dark, though it features a cute little furry creature so many kids saw it. ''Gremlins2TheNewBatch'', despite the PG-13 rating [[note]]The original ''Gremlins'' was so dark for its PG rating that the PG-13 rating was almost immediately created.[[/note]], is much lighter in tone. While there is still quite a lot of violence, it's much more absurd and generally played for slapstick. Most tellingly, the film even [[BreakingTheFourthWall breaks the fourth wall]] to give Wrestling/HulkHogan a humorous cameo.
* Park Chan-Wook, director of ''Film/{{Oldboy}}'', said he wanted his film ''Film/ImACyborgButThatsOK'' to appeal to younger audiences as well. The tone is lighter than that of his Vengeance trilogy, but the movie starts with a girl "charging herself" by slitting her wrist and jamming a mains lead into the wound, taping it up carefully before flicking the switch.
* In the first ''Film/{{Critters}}'' the creatures were fairly serious killing machines but had a low body count, they grew when they ate, and some of them died in very violent ways; in the sequel they killed many more people and the creatures have some violent deaths but they are pretty goofy and less intelligent than in the original. The other two films are pretty silly and the bodycounts are pretty low.
* TheFilmOfTheBook of ''Literature/AndThenThereWereNone'' fits this trope. While the book doesn't go more than a few pages without using a (mild, all things considered) swear word, has oftentimes graphic depictions of most of the deaths, and [[KillEmAll kills 'em all]], the movie tones down the language to be [[UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode Hays Code]]-compliant, never shows more than the feet or hands of any dead person (if they're shown at all), and gives Vera and Lombard a happy ending. In contrast, the Russian version is DarkerAndEdgier: You get a seriously twisted sex scene between the two "heroes", ''no'' {{gory discretion shot}}s, [[FanDisservice fan service with a creepy context behind it]], a FlashbackNightmare for a character who cheerfully dismissed his crime in the book, ''and'' the characters [[HearingVoices slowly]] [[SanitySlippage going]] [[DrivenToMadness insane]] one by one. It's the most faithful adaptation of the book; it just takes the book's darker themes and expands on them.
* The 5th ''Film/ChildsPlay'', ''Seed of Chucky'', following the tradition of horror franchises eventually collapsing into self-parody.
* ''Film/TheWarriors'': The book the movie is based on is considerably DarkerAndEdgier. The gang (called the Devastators in the book) are {{Villain Protagonist}}s with no redeeming features. Along the way, they brutally gang rape and abandon a random girl. In the film, the Warriors are a bunch of crude but proud street toughs who are unjustly accused of a murder. The girl that was raped in the novel is turned into a love interest in the film.
* ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}'', the 1968 musical adaptation of ''Literature/OliverTwist''. Granted, most musicals are this by nature, but still, the original book is pretty grim.
* While they were still R-rated, each ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' was more surreal and comedic than the one before it, peaking with ''Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare'', which has Freddy doing a Wicked Witch of the West impression ("I'll get you my pretty, and your little soul too!") during the first few minutes.
* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' series which gradually became campier until they began parodying themselves. Compare the tongue-in-cheek sci-fi based ''Film/JasonX'' with the dark slasher movie tone of the originals.
* All of the sequels to ''Film/TheHowling'' save for ''Howling IV: The Original Nightmare'' (which was closest to the novel), and ''Howling: The Rebirth''.
* Compare the first ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' film with the [[GuiltyPleasures second]] and [[TotallyRadical third]]. The reason for the second movie being lighter and softer than the first was due to the MoralGuardians reacting to the use of weapons and a few instances of the word "damn" here and there. In fact, all TMNT adaptations are lighter and softer than [[Comicbook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage the original comics]], which include quite a lot of bloody murder and are not intended for children.
* American horror films usually gets accused of this in spite of the "Splatter Pack" directors. Although most of them are foreign directors.
* ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982'' is an R-rated fantasy epic that contained considerable amounts of violence and nudity. It also has a large following of fans who consider it one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. For the 1984 sequel ''Film/ConanTheDestroyer'' the studio decided they wanted a more family-friendly Conan. The result was a PG-rated, more lighthearted Conan adventure that was poorly received by fans of the original film.
* ''Battle for the Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes'', in contrast to the previous and very dark ''Conquest'' (and more so if you watch the version with the [[ExecutiveMeddling original, uncensored ending]]).
* ''Film/SpiderMan2'' toned down some of the violence of the first film and was given a PG by the British Board of Film Classification. This was after ''Film/SpiderMan'' was given a 12 rating by the BBFC and described it as one of the most violent films ever aimed at young children, saying that some scenes even warranted a 15. Many councils (who have the final word on film censorship in the UK) boycotted this decision, releasing it as PG or PG-12, but ''Spider-Man'' stayed in cinemas long enough for young children to be admitted more widely (under adult supervision) following the introduction of the 12A rating.
* ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''--the Galaxy is presented as more wondrous and grand than the dull, bureaucratic "Earth-society-but-bigger" version we tend to get, and the film ends with [[spoiler:the new Earth being put in the place of the old one rather than being dismantled when construction shuts down as in the other versions.]]
* Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' and ''Film/{{Starman}}'', compared to previous works like ''Film/{{Halloween 1978}}'', ''Film/TheThing1982'', ''Film/EscapeFromNewYork'', ''Film/PrinceOfDarkness'' and ''Film/TheyLive''.
* Film/JamesBond had it a few times. After the too realistic and bloody approach from the TimothyDalton years, came the more comedic Creator/PierceBrosnan era. After Creator/DanielCraig got too dark on ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' (which many dissed as a "more [[Film/TheBourneSeries Bourne]] than Bond") the series goes back to its lighthearted roots in ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' (Although by not much since it still lacks the same whimsy as the Brosnan/Moore era).
* The 1938 ''Film/{{A Christmas Carol|1938}}'' is more light-hearted than other adaptations, and leaves out a number of crucial scenes detailing Scrooge's StartOfDarkness and BadFuture.
* ''Film/RedDawn1984'' was a depressing UsefulNotes/ColdWar story about a resistance fighting a HopelessWar against the Russians. [[Film/RedDawn2012 The 2012 version]] felt more hopeful.
* ''Film/TheCrow'' is this compared to [[Comicbook/TheCrow the comic book]]. Of course, the film is still very dark, but the violence was toned down, and the main character is less of a sociopath.
* ''Film/JackTheGiantSlayer'' is this compared to other recent fairy tale films such as ''Film/SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman'' and ''Film/RedRidingHood''.
* [[Film/WorldWarZ The adaptation]] of the novel ''Literature/WorldWarZ'' is lighter and softer, and also dumbed down for better or for worse. According to Creator/BradPitt it was too complicated for a summer blockbuster.
* ''Film/MyNameIsNobody'' is this compared to many of the serious {{Spaghetti Western}}s it [[AffectionateParody parodies]]. There's more humor, the violence is less brutal (no {{Gorn}} or torture), the BlackAndGrayMorality common to the genre is considerably softened (Jack Beauregard is rather jaded but has no real KickTheDog moments, Nobody is rather idealistic in his quirky way, and while the Wild Bunch are Bad People, the film doesn't depict any atrocities at the level of what [[Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest Frank]] or [[Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly Angel Eyes]] get up to), and it ends happily.
* ''Film/MirrorMirror'' is probably the most light-hearted film version of the [[Literature/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs fairytale ]] in which it was inspired (And also specially compared with ''Film/SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman'') There is much more comedy and slapstick, The Queen, while still a villain and a JerkAss with no redeeming features, has some comical traits and is somewhat less meaner, and also [[spoiler: at the end of the movie is revealed that Snow White's father is still alive, in sharp contrast with every other adaptation. ]]
* ''Film/PitchBlack'' was rated R for a good reason. ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'' was trimmed down by execs to a PG-13 rating and while it was still uber-violent, it was mostly BloodlessCarnage, though the unrated directors cut has more blood.
* The MGM Creator/MarxBrothers movies, starting with ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera''. Creator/RogerEbert, though praising the film, found that their SignatureStyle was ComedicSociopathy and anarchy, as opposed to later films, where they become more heroic and tend to take an active interest in the plot. For instance, in the last non-MGM film, ''Film/DuckSoup'', Groucho's character is basically a dumber and more frivolous BenitoMussolini; in ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera'', he's strictly a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
* The famous 1939 adaptation of ''TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' (the Judy Garland one everyone has seen) is ''much'' more sacchrine in tone than [[Literature/LandOfOz the original books]]. Yes, even with the Wicked Witch setting the Scarecrow on fire and threatening "AndYourLittleDogToo". The original {{TinMan}}'s backstory involved being compelled to chop himself to bits with his axe. The book had several beheadings, the Scarecrow performing NeckSnap on an entire murder of crows, the Wicked Witch enslaving Dorothy and the Lion after throwing the Scarecrow and Tin Woodsman down a ravine, and so forth. ''ReturnToOz'' was actually a much closer adaptation to {{LFrankBaum}}'s style.
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