Hollywood loves a remake. Whether it's a book-to-movie adaptation that a filmmaker wants to expand upon or they have a new vision to retell a classic or underrated movie, remakes have been around for decades. While remakes sometimes get unfairly maligned, many films that update a preexisting story have been great—and outshone their source material. Movies including The Thing and The Talented Mr. Ripley started life as other projects many decades before they were "reimagined" as the films we know. It's a fascinating look at how ideas evolve. Below, find the best movie remakes of all time.
'The Birdcage' (1996)
The Birdcage has had an interesting evolution. Starting with a 1973 play, it was adapted into a 1978 French movie called La Cage aux Folles, and then the basic comedic structure was Americanized for overseas audiences. It worked—and it was a groundbreaking LGBTQ+ comedy.
'Bram Stoker's Dracula' (1992)
Dracula: a wealth of remake potential! This 1992 Francis Ford Coppola classic is based on the original novel but derives from a long line of Dracula (and vampire) movies. This leaned in on the deeply romantic undertones of the source material in an effective way.
'Cape Fear' (1991)
Both versions of Cape Fear are quite terrifying (with Robert Mitchum as the antagonist in the first and Robert De Niro in the second). Without going into spoilers, though, the Martin Scorsese-directed thriller doesn't pull a single punch with how evil the antagonist can be.
'Dawn of the Dead' (2004)
If you haven't seen this early Zack Snyder work (and a lot of people haven't—it's an underrated '00s movie), check it out. It's a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 original but makes the zombies faster and scarier with a just-as-compelling cast of characters.
'The Departed' (2006)
This Martin Scorsese film is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs (featuring a similar structure of two spies, one a gang member and one a police officer). In his adaptation, Scorsese drew from the Massachusetts-based Winter Hill Gang and its crime boss Whitey Bulger.
'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' (1988)
This 1988 Frank Oz comedy is a remake of the 1964 movie Bedtime Story, the same source material that would inspire 2019's The Hustle starring Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway. In this movie, Michael Caine and Steve Martin star as two competing con men to comedic perfection.
'Dune: Part One' (2021) and 'Dune: Part Two' (2024
There have long been reports that David Lynch's 1984 Dune was a troubled production and resulted in an uneven movie (although some critics and fans have reclaimed it in the intervening years). By splitting the Frank Herbert sci-fi novel into two parts and making smart use of CGI, Denis Villeneuve made an impressive sci-fi epic.
'Evil Dead' (2013)
If you don't mind horror and a lot—like, a lot—of gore, try the 2013 Evil Dead remake. It's technically a "re-imagining" of the original movies, and kind of a sequel (the Evil Dead series plays fast and loose with its chronology). But it truly ups the ante.
'A Fistful of Dollars' (1967)
Fascinatingly, this is considered an unofficial remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1961 Yojimbo, resulting in a lawsuit from Kurosawa's production company. The American film popularized the spaghetti Western and was Clint Eastwood's first starring role.
'The Fly' (1986)
Body horror fans, unite! This David Cronenberg film isn't for the faint of heart if you don't like gore, but it leans in on the ideas introduced in the 1958 film of the same name—which has the same basic concept of a scientist (Jeff Goldblum) accidentally fusing with a fly as an experiment gone wrong.
'Freaky Friday' (2003)
Freaky Friday is technically a franchise, consisting of an original film, two made-for-TV sequels, a TV movie, two theatrical adaptations, and a Disney adaption of the musical. Fun fact: The original 1972 movie starred Jodie Foster. Oh, and this film starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Loahn is brilliant, full stop.
'Gaslight' (1944)
Did you know that these movies (being that this was based on a 1940 film of the same name, adapted from a play) originated the term "gaslighting?" As such, it centers around Paula (Ingrid Bergman), who's convinced her husband (Charles Boyer) is trying to drive her mad.
'Hairspray' (2007)
This film has an intriguing story: the 1988 original was directed by John Waters and spawned a Broadway musical, which was then turned into a 2007 movie adaptation of the starring John Travolta, Zac Efron, and Nikki Blonsky, among others. No surprise, but this version makes excellent use of some catchy music and energetic dance numbers.
'Insomnia' (2002)
This remake of a 1997 Norwegian film is actually an early Christopher Nolan movie. It's also a bit underrated serial killer movie, which stars Al Pacino and Robin Williams as the detective and murderer, respectively, who become intertwined in fascinating ways.
'The Invisible Man' (2020)
If you're rebooting a creature film from 1933 (one that's been remade in the past), you need a modern idea to hold it together. Such is the case with the 2020 Leigh Whannell film, which turns the notion of an invisible man into a dark and riveting feminist horror film about domestic violence.
'It' (2017)
While not a one-to-one remake of the 1990 miniseries, it would have been impossible to adapt Stephen King's novel without thoughtful consideration of Tim Curry's darkly hilarious Pennywise. This splits the plot into two parts; the first part is near-perfect, led by an incredible young cast. It's also terrifying, as Bill Skarsgard does an excellent job of providing his take on the evil clown.
'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1978)
You're likely only familiar with the 1978 adaptation starring Donald Sutherland (including its very meme-able moment), but there's also a 1956 version that's equally worth the watch. The later version is considered one of the best remakes ever put to screen.
'The Man Who Knew Too Much' (1956)
Fun fact: Alfred Hitchcock used the name of this film twice. He later noted that the 1934 version (which shares some similar plot points but a very different script) was more amateurish and that the 1956 remake, starring Jimmy Stewart, was the work of a professional.
'The Magnificent Seven' (1960)
This is another remake of an Akira Kurosawa film (in this case, Seven Samurai). Unlike A Fistful Of Dollars, this is an official adaptation, with the rights acquired and the first script drawing from the original. This is considered one of the best Western films of all time.
'The Maltese Falcon' (1941)
Not many realize this classic mystery was a retelling of a 1931 movie with the same name. The original suffered because of the strict censoring Hays Code at the time, which is partly why the Humphrey Bogart film noir is better known.
'Mean Girls' (2024)
While critics were mixed on it, there's much to be loved about the 2024 version of Mean Girls. Technically, the original movie was made into a stage musical, and that was later adapted into a film. Here, the songs are great and the acting from young stars like Avantika and Renée Rapp is great, so, ultimately, it's a blast.
'Nosferatu, The Vampyre' (1979)
Dracula gives us some rich source material, and this 1979 Werner Herzog movie is an homage to the original Nosferatu (a 1922 silent film that was incredibly influential and an unofficial Dracula adaptation). This updated version is stunning and intense.
'Ocean's Eleven' (2001)
This successful 2001 Steven Soderbergh film, which spawned sequels and reimaginings, is a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film starring Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr., among others. The original got mixed reviews, whereas the remake runs with the buddy film potential and is considered a great con artist movie.
'The Parent Trap' (1998)
Largely seen as the movie that made us fall in love with child actor Lindsay Lohan (and a display of her impressive skill), this is Nancy Meyers' debut. The original, starring Hayley Mills, is also quite good—but this gives some great, timely updates and an awesome villain.
'Scarface' (1983)
This 1983 Brian De Palma movie is pretty universally acknowledged as hilariously over the top—but it's based on a 1932 movie of the same name, based on a book. This movie outdoes all its source material with a wild plot and wilder acting from Al Pacino.
'Sorcerer' (1977)
This action thriller, directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist) has been retroactively declared a classic. Fun fact: It's largely considered a remake of 1953's The Wages of Fear, which draws from the same French novel about four men on a dangerous mission, but Friedkin insisted it wasn't.
'A Star Is Born' (2018)
There have been four remade versions of this classic story (a star on the rise and another on the decline meet in the middle). The original was made in 1937; the 2018 one directed by Bradley Cooper and starring Lady Gaga made some necessary modernizations and modifications while keeping the original structure to impressive effect.
'Suspiria' (2018)
This is probably a mildly controversial take, but Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria holds its own against the original 1977 film directed by Dario Argento, considered one of the most stylish and best horror films of all time). The 2018 version has a strong story and narrative drive that turns it into more of a feminist movie, which is a nice update.
'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999)
Did you know the 1960 film Purple Noon draws from the same source material (Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley) as the more modern remake? The first version has a more moralizing tone and a starkly different ending; it still has a strong cult following. The remake is, in a word, classic.
'The Thing' (1982)
Did you know that The Thing was a remake? The original 1951 The Thing From Another World was also based on the novella Who Goes There?; it's considered a great '50s film even if it's more classical than the terrifying, graphic Kurt Russell version.
'True Grit' (201)
How do you improve upon a grizzled John Wayne acting against a teen? By casting a grizzled Jeff Bridges and breakout actor Hailee Steinfeld. Technically, this was designed to be an adaptation of the same book (instead of a literal remake of the first film), but it updates the 1969 original.
'West Side Story' (2021)
While this Steven Spielberg movie musical didn't fare well at the box office, partially because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been reclaimed as one of the best remakes and best musicals ever. So if you missed it the first time around (and like the 1961 version), give this a go.
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