Movies From This Century That Are Being Remade Already
From Child's Play to The Lion King, it sometimes feels like we're living in an entire era of remakes. In the past, remakes have been a mixed bag depending on a number of different factors. While films like Gus Van Sant's Psycho and Tom Cruise's action vehicle The Mummy have been panned by critics and audiences alike, some remakes like David Cronenberg's The Fly and John Carpenter's The Thing have far surpassed the originals and become classics in their own right. Reboots are so the rage that even films from this century are already getting the refresh treatment. For example, in early 2019, audiences decided to skip an unsuccessful Hellboy reboot, which hit theaters just 15 years after Guillermo del Toro's beloved film. Of course, that unfortunate flop isn't stopping Hollywood from continuing in the same vein. From fantasy films to slasher flicks, these are the remakes of 21st-century films we can expect to see in the near future.
We're going back through the wardrobe with a new Chronicles of Narnia
In 2005, as Harry Potter mania was ramping up for Universal, Disney decided to jump on the fantasy train by adapting C.S. Lewis' beloved series about an enchanted wardrobe leading to another world. With a star-studded cast including James McAvoy and Tilda Swinton, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe made $745 million worldwide and was one of the most popular films released that year. It even went on to win a well-deserved Academy Award for best makeup and hairstyling. The next installment was Prince Caspian in 2008, followed by The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010. The films continued to be popular in both theatrical and DVD releases, but it wasn't sufficient enough success to warrant another film. The fourth film, The Silver Chair, was scrapped altogether. But now that Game of Thrones is over, there's a great big fantasy-shaped hole for Hollywood to fill. And since Aslan fans have been waiting for the lion's return for quite a while, it looks like Netflix is going to reboot the Narnia series, in both TV and movie form. Yeah, that's right. We're getting Narnia films and an upcoming TV series, which means Netflix is about to become a truly magical place.
In brightest day and blackest night, Green Lantern's getting remade
Long before Deadpool stole our hearts, Ryan Reynolds was in one of the worst comic book adaptations ever made. With its iffy script and hokey special effects, Green Lantern was a disaster of superhero proportions. In fact, the only positive anyone can seem to find about Green Lantern is that the film introduced Reynolds and Blake Lively, who fell in love on the set and are now a favorite celebrity couple.
It's only been eight years since that flop hit screens, but now, DC is bringing the Lantern back. Preliminary reports note that the film's working title is Green Lantern Corps., and the screenplay is being written by DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns (who also wrote Aquaman and Wonder Woman 1984). Johns is well aware of the various missteps from the first film, and he's working to make sure those aren't repeated in his new screenplay. Of course, the film is still incredibly early in the pre-production process, which is probably a good thing. It gives us some extra time to forget all about that disastrous first film.
Lilo & Stitch are surfing back into theaters
With all their success turning animated classics into live action films, it should come as no surprise that Disney has a Lilo & Stitch project in the works. Lilo & Stitch follows a rambunctious little Hawaiian girl named Lilo (voiced by Daveigh Chase) and her caretaker-sister Nani (Tia Carrere) after the death of their parents in a tragic car accident. Lilo is not handling her grief well and causes problems for everyone in her orbit. So her sister decides to get her a pet. Unfortunately, what they thought was a dog named Stitch (Chris Sanders) is actually an alien science project that escaped to Earth. Filled with ukulele tunes and lush Hawaiian imagery, Lilo & Stitch is ultimately a story about ohana, the family we choose or the idea of an extended family.
And now, we'll have to welcome a new Lilo and Stitch into the Disney family. The remake is being penned by Mike Van Waes, and Dan Lin and Jonthan Eirich of 2019's Aladdin reboot are set to helm the project. No casting information is available yet, but fingers crossed the cast will reflect Lilo's home of Kaua'i and feature lots of Native Hawaiian representation.
The Pirates of the Caribbean might sail back onto the silver screen
The hit franchise Pirates of the Caribbean wore out its welcome by the fifth film, thanks to controversial lead figure Johnny Depp, as well as increasingly derivative storylines. And on top of those domestic violence allegations from his ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp was also expensive. A remake could easily float with someone new as either hero or anti-hero (or both) at the helm. Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick told Deadline that they've been on deck to write a screenplay that would "make pirates punk rock again" and bring an edgier twist to the Pirates franchise. An irreverent Deadpool vibe meshed with Pirates would have been awesome. Unfortunately, Collider reported in February 2019 that both writers have jumped ship, and that the project is now without a captain or rudder. It does still seem likely a reboot will go forward since Disney would save a goldmine of $90 million without Depp at the helm.
Puss in Boots is about to go on another adventure
Dreamworks' 2011 animated comedy Puss in Boots follows Puss (Antonio Banderas) in his pre-Shrek adventures. Puss is on the lam with his signature footwear and looking to clear his name from crimes he was tricked into committing. Soon, he finds himself up against Jack and Jill of nursery rhyme fame, discovers golden goose eggs in a castle in the sky, and meets the feline lady of his dreams. The successful prequel and spin-off evolved further into a television show The Adventures of Puss in Boots produced by Netflix. But if you can't get enough of cats swinging swords, then prepare for another adventure, since a reboot is coming soon. Chris Meledandri (Despicable Me) told Variety he's working on an entirely new story. We're unsure of what the plot is going to be, but Meledandri says he wouldn't be adverse to having the old cast return to the remake. While that sounds a little counterproductive, just remember that James Earl Jones played Mufasa in both the original Lion King and the remake, so Hollywood doesn't seem to have a problem bringing back original stars for new films.
Resident Evil is getting a zombie-filled remake
For a moment there, it looked like the Resident Evil franchise was coming to an end with The Last Chapter, but just like that, a new reboot is already in the works. The news broke during Cannes Film Festival 2018 when it was announced that Johannes Roberts of 47 Meters Down will write and direct the new film. Screenwriter Greg Russo has already written a screenplay, but we're not sure if Roberts is just giving his version a revision or starting from scratch.
There were also rumors that the legendary James Wan might be involved, as Deadline had reported that Wan would be a producer on the remake. But recent developments have Wan walking back all those claims, saying that he was never officially part of that production. As for Resident Evil star Milla Jovovich, she's been vocal about her displeasure with the news, voicing suspicions that the producers are doing this just for money and not for love of the game or the film fans. It sounds like there may be some bad zombie blood behind the scenes.
A Shrek reboot is coming out of the swamps
There are some beloved films that simply need to be left alone, and this tale of a grumpy, swamp-dwelling ogre feels like one of them. Shrek was a global phenomenon of joy that spawned several equally-loved sequels and television specials, as well as the spin-offs of Puss in Boots and The Adventures of Puss in Boots. This film feels almost sacrilegious to reboot, especially since upcoming director and writer Chris Meledandri has said, "When you look back on those vocal performances [from the original], they're awesome, and while you certainly could make a case for a complete reinvention, I find myself responding to my own nostalgic feelings of wanting to go back to those characterizations."
Meledandri went on to say that it's been challenging finding a story that "really does feel like it's not simply yet another film in a series of sequels." Of course, that makes us wonder, why does this reboot need to happen? It's especially odd when Meledandri insists he's working on an entirely new story for Shrek, but also says he'd be interested in bringing back the original cast. If the actors are going to reprise their roles, would this even be considered a reboot and not another sequel? Let's hope this project quietly fades away. But based on remake fever, we might not be so lucky.
The Train to Busan remake will be pulling into theaters soon
James Wan of The Conjuring and Aquaman has fully thrown his support behind remaking Yeon Sang-ho's heart-stopping South Korean zombie film, Train to Busan. The harrowing plot follows workaholic and absentee dad (Gong Yoo) who decides to step up and take his daughter (Su-an Kim) to visit her mother in Busan for her birthday. On the train from Seoul, they discover they're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and like any great zombie film, the undead often aren't the worst monsters to contend with. A poignant family drama between the father and his daughter gives this story a humanity that helped it achieve both critical and financial success.
And now, after an extensive bidding war, New Line will be the studio behind James Wan's English-language remake, written by his longtime Annabelle collaborator Gary Dauberman. While there's no casting or other news available about the remake, there is news about a sequel to the original that director Yeon Sang-ho says will focus on the virus spreading around Korea. Hey, we're not complaining. We'll take all the Korean horror films we can get.
The Wrong Turn remake is coming right back
While the first installment of the Wrong Turn franchise and its initial sequel were solid genre films with a creepy plot and excellent production value, the subsequent four films got trashier and significantly more exploitative. Each installment features a grotesque cannibal family in the West Virginia woods who sets up traps alongside roads in order to capture stranded drivers and cook them up. While the first two films had some nice social commentary and work as homages to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the later films rely more on gore, nudity, and extreme violence. A reboot that takes the story back to where it started might be welcome.
There is no casting news yet, but Mike P. Nelson (The Domestics) is directing and Wrong Turn's original creator, Alan McElroy, is writing the script. According to Deadline, "The updated version is described as a timely and topical meditation on society and its issues." Naturally, the plot will follow hikers who wind up on "the land of an inclusive society, where they soon discover they are under a different rule of law, and may not be the victims they thought they were." This sounds exactly like the original concept of the films, but a healthy dose of side-eye for this production is well deserved until more details become available.