Wait, I Think I Saw This Already: Remakes and Reboots

[PatternRec]

I just finished watching Little Shop Of Horrors (1986). OMG re-living my adolescence! 

In any case I've decided to re-cast a new version in my head and you should too (of any movie you want).

Seymour Krelborn: Donald Glover - can sing; can pull off geeky while being charasmatic 
Audrey: Allison Brie; can sing; can act; has Ellen Greene's cleavage/Annie's boobs
Mr Mushnik: John Leguizamo: at 52 years old can play an aging owner of a failing business and can go large enough to play Mushnik
Voice of Audrey II: Nikki Minaj: monster indeed: good combination of seductive and menacing and the vocals to match
Audrey II effects: that dude who does the effects for Guillermo del Toro: remember that plant monster from Hellboy 2? Or the angel of death? he has a design aesthetic that seems to combine the old school practical effects with modern CGI that would honor the 1986 version

Minor roles...

The patient (ie the Bill Murray role): Paul F Thompkins
The First Customer: Scott Aukerman 
Orin Scrivello (the Dentist): Daveed Diggs

Re-cast Little Shop if you want or go to town on your own remake-of-choice...

Edited September 11, 2016 by PatternRec

[methodwriter85]

We have two threads that cover what you're talking about:

The Casting and Recasting Thread

Casting kudos, or conversely, how you would've cast a movie role. For example, I've said many times I would have cast Taylor Momsen in the role of Cherie Currie in the Runaways movie instead of Dakota Fanning.

Wait, I Think I Saw This Already

About reboots, remakes, sequels, real or what you could propose. For example, I said in this thread that I think a remake of The Net would actually make sense because I think you really could erase someone's existence using the internet these days

[PatternRec]

Third time's a charm? ;) 

Edited September 11, 2016 by PatternRec

[raezen]

This was not one on my list to remake/reimagine but it might just work now that I see it won't be a straight up remake.

High Noon in a modern setting? Hmm. 

 

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/relativity-remaking-high-noon-present-day-1201862842/

Edited September 17, 2016 by raezen
Added title of movie to clarify link.

[methodwriter85]

Having seen Sicario, I actually think this might be a good idea. All depends on the execution.

[Captain Carrot]

People often say that they shouldn't remake great movies, and the studios should instead look for movies that were popular but flawed. With that in mind are there any movies that should be remade?

A remake I wouldn't mind seeing is Highlander. I always thought of it as a success of concept over execution. Because the idea of immortal warriors battling it out in the modern world is cool, but...the actual move was not the best move I ever saw.

[Joe]

3 hours ago, Captain Carrot said:

People often say that they shouldn't remake great movies, and the studios should instead look for movies that were popular but flawed. With that in mind are there any movies that should be remade?

A remake I wouldn't mind seeing is Highlander. I always thought of it as a success of concept over execution. Because the idea of immortal warriors battling it out in the modern world is cool, but...the actual move was not the best move I ever saw.

There's been discussion about it for years, but nothing has ever actually happened.

[Trini]

A couple of films I'd like to see updated with better effects and a screenplay more faithful to the source material: The Neverending Story, and The Secret of NIMH.

We have the technology now to make an amazing-looking live-action version of The Last Unicorn, but there are rights issues, I think?

[ChelseaNH]

I'm not sure I could watch a good Highlander movie.

[Schweedie]

15 hours ago, Captain Carrot said:

People often say that they shouldn't remake great movies, and the studios should instead look for movies that were popular but flawed. With that in mind are there any movies that should be remade?

The first one that comes to mind for me is The Running Man. I usually just refuse to acknowledge that the 1987 travesty with Schwarzenegger exists, but I guess the fact is it does, and for that alone it should be remade.   I mean - I don't know that it was popular, but it was certainly flawed. I thought there was a great film to be made from that book when I read it (I was a young teenager who'd just discovered dystopias) and I was very excited to find out there already WAS one... But then I watched it. I'm still a little sad that Nicolas Cage is too old to play the lead now, because he would've been perfect in the 90s.

Oh well. They'd probably just get Jason Statham now anyway, too old or not, and make it the kind of film he does all the time.

[Which Tyler]

I'd like to see a sequel to the Matrix, that film was great, and really deserved to spawn a franchise.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Which Tyler

[Joe]

7 hours ago, Schweedie said:

The first one that comes to mind for me is The Running Man. I usually just refuse to acknowledge that the 1987 travesty with Schwarzenegger exists, but I guess the fact is it does, and for that alone it should be remade.   I mean - I don't know that it was popular, but it was certainly flawed. I thought there was a great film to be made from that book when I read it (I was a young teenager who'd just discovered dystopias) and I was very excited to find out there already WAS one... But then I watched it. I'm still a little sad that Nicolas Cage is too old to play the lead now, because he would've been perfect in the 90s.

Oh well. They'd probably just get Jason Statham now anyway, too old or not, and make it the kind of film he does all the time.

Aw.I like the Running Man. Yeah, it's not at all like the book. But it's fun for what it is. Besides, Richard Dawson is incredible as Killian.

Back onto Highlander, the music would be a problem. Would you just reuse the Queen music, or get someone new? If so, who could possibly stand up to being judged by the standard of Queen?

[Captain Carrot]

On 1/12/2017 at 8:30 PM, Joe said:

Back onto Highlander, the music would be a problem. Would you just reuse the Queen music, or get someone new? If so, who could possibly stand up to being judged by the standard of Queen?

I think you would have to reuse the original soundtrack, or go with something completely different. Anything similar to Queen would come off as a pale imitation.

[methodwriter85]

I wouldn't mind seeing an adaption of I Know What You Did Last Summer that didn't completely gut (literally) the premise of the book. I don't mind keeping in the violence, but I would love if it kept the fact that surface-wise, all of these people were doing great- Helen as a t.v. personality, Julie getting into Smith, Barry as the college football hero, and Ray getting to loll around in California. Oh, and if the movie actually had the guts to actually have these people be responsible for the death of a child. That probably bothers me the most about the 1997 adaption.

I mean, the movie IS 20 years old and it's ripe for a remake, but knowing what happened with Endless Love, it'd probably bastardize the material even more.

[paulvdb]

I don't really follow movie news, so I only just read about this. There is going to be a new Jumanji movie. The plot for the new movie sounds terrible to me. Not that the original was the greatest movie ever, but it was enjoyable enough. The not-officially-a-sequel Zathura: A Space Adventure was not quite as good but still watchable. This new movie has some bad ideas: the kids who play the game apparently become adult characters in the game and one of them is played by Jack Black. That's enough for me to not watch it.

[ChelseaNH]

I finally saw Edge of Tomorrow -- a very good, if badly named, sci-fi action thriller -- but the thought that sticks with me is "This is how Tom Cruise reboots Groundhog Day."

[Captain Carrot]

One reason to be happy about any remake, no matter how bad. The studio will always remaster the original, and release it on Blu-ray to get people excited about the remake. Thanks to the remakes, I have Clash of the Titans and Robocop on Blu-ray.

[DisneyBoy]

Quote

A couple of films I'd like to see updated with better effects and a screenplay more faithful to the source material: The Neverending Story, and The Secret of NIMH.

I never read the book but wasn't the Don Bluth movie pretty much perfect as it was?

I think I read something about Disney considering making The Black Cauldron into a live-action movie which I think it can only be a good thing, provided they draw more from the books than the animated flop.

I would really enjoy seeing a film remake of Dreamgirls one day because I just can't get past the Beyonce-ness and over-indulgent tone of the recent movie. I know it probably won't happen for another 30 years - or maybe less given how quick Hollywood is to remake things these days - but I will look forward to it. The story is by no means deep but with great passionate performers, tight choreography and staging it's a crowd-pleaser. Plus I really like the way that they added the song Listen to the stage show as a way four Effie and Deena to reconcile. That would work really well in a movie.

I wonder if we will ever get another big screen adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera. I guess it's probably going to be something that's settled after Andrew Lloyd Webber is no longer with us, but the current film version bums me out so badly I can't believe it will be the only official film version in existence. Surely a better one will get made one day.

I know Webber really wants to make a Sunset Boulevard movie musical but studio rights have been an issue. If it does get made I would rather not see Glenn Close in the part because I feel like she's gotten way too much praise for her performances (which differ), especially considering the limits of her voice and the way she just does not resemble a silent film actress. I wonder who would make a good Norma Desmond in a film version given the need to cast a star audiences will be familiar with. I think Barbra Streisand's name was being thrown around at one point but then again she seems pretty focused on trying to make Gypsy even though she's aged out of the role of Mama Rose.

Was there ever a remake of Midnight in London? It's a famously lost film and I feel like studios would have capitalized on that by making a new version at some point...

I have a sneaky suspicion that at some point they're going to make a Golden Girls movie. It would obviously have to star some big names like Meryl Streep or Susan Sarandon, but I can't imagine studios being above capitalizing on people's love for that brilliant TV show, regardless of the outcome.

A reboot of The Rocketeer would be really interesting, especially if they could successfully turn it into a franchise.

Edited April 8, 2017 by DisneyBoy

[methodwriter85]

Beauty and the Beast and the Power Rangers were both pretty good. Color me shocked on the latter. Beauty and the Beast was based on a classic fairy tale which means it's something that should always work (and there have been so many versions of it), but I was surprised they actually made a competent Power Rangers movie. (Although it's not doing very well so the sequel plans seem to be in doubt.) I read an article that made a pretty good point- back in the 90's, there was a need and room for kid superhero movies. Now, it's so saturated that there just isn't much of a need for the Power Rangers. And I feel like it had this uneven tone- at some points, it was trying to be a kiddie movie. At other points, it was a teen angst movie.

I could see a Golden Girls movie but I can't picture anyone in those parts other than the people who played the parts and are no longer with us. (Except for Betty.) And you kind of run into the problem of the fact that so few of the actresses in that age group actually let themselves age naturally. (Meryl Street, Helen Mirren, and Judi Dench...maybe.) The rest all look like they've had work done to varying degrees of success.

Although Goldie Hawn probably could do an awesome Rose, even with her "Forever 21" wardrobe.

[methodwriter85]

I've had this thought for the past couple of weeks- a Brady Bunch movie remake, but instead of the Brady Bunch, it's Full House. Basically, the wholesome Tanners of 1992 face off against the crazy world of the 2010's.

The current iteration of the show doesn't take themselves seriously enough that I could see Jeff Franklin and John Stamos being totally onboard with a satire movie.

The one problem I can see with that is that the kids were a little too bland as opposed to the quirks of the Brady Bunch kids, but there's still a lot of humor you could mine. Jesse's obsession with his hair, Danny's obsession with cleaning could be turned into OCD, Michelle could be monstrously spoiled, Joey being incredibly unfunny, etc etc.

Edited May 14, 2017 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

So I was watching a Dirty Dancing clip and took comfort in knowing that the absolute thrashing the T.V. remake got means that Dirty Dancing will continue to be safe from a big-screen remake.

Honestly, the one guy I could see as Johnny Castle is Channing Tatum, and at this point he's too old for the part. (Wait, nevermind, I keep forgetting that Patrick was 35 when he played it.)

I also take comfort in knowing that Robert Zemeckis won't let Hollywood remakers near Back to the Future with a 10-foot pole. And you KNOW there has to be interest in trying to do one.

Edited June 10, 2017 by methodwriter85

[Pyralis]

Under the heading of "Why?" - just saw the commercial for the remake of "The Beguiled".

[methodwriter85]

12 minutes ago, Pyralis said:

Under the heading of "Why?" - just saw the commercial for the remake of "The Beguiled".

It's apparently getting really good buzz, though. The movie has been flipped so that it's more from the point of view of the women instead of from Clint Eastwood's character.

Another old movie I think Sophia Coppola could actually remake well would be Picnic at Hanging Rock, an Australian movie from 1975 that follows the mystery of a couple schoolgirls and a teacher that go missing in 1900. (It's apparently already getting a remake, though.)

Edited June 26, 2017 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

On one hand, the It movie was really fun to watch, and I'm glad it's had some really smashing success.

On the other hand, I'm pretty positive this means that the reboot of the reboot Nightmare on Elm Street has leapfrogged in priority.

I wouldn't actually mind if they did another movie, but I'd really like one that went for an entirely different story as opposed to the first reboot back in 2010.

I do hope they cast Natalia Dyer as the Final Girl. She would make a great one.

[Twilight Man]

On 9/11/2016 at 2:59 AM, methodwriter85 said:

I said in this thread that I think a remake of The Net would actually make sense because I think you really could erase someone's existence using the internet these days

The Net 2.0  -   the film never got much buzz;  once again, casting is very important.

I know most of you millennials never probably saw the original but is anyone looking forward to Bruce Willis in Death Wish (2018)??

[methodwriter85]

I still can't get over how well Jumanji worked. Going with the idea that the game can morph itself to appeal to whoever it wants to appeal to is incredibly brilliant.

A sequel to the reboot seems inevitable, but I wonder how they're going to go in a next one.

[Joe]

The Sword in the Stone, based on the Disney cartoon rather than readapting the book. It will be directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, best known for 28 Weeks Later. Written by Bryan Cogman, a writer/producer on Game of Thrones.

I dunno, there have been so many King Arthur books, movies, and TV series. What can this new version do to set itself apart? I've never seen the director's other work. Does he have a unique style? A different take on familiar subjects? Anything?

By the way, what's behind this recent Disney trend of doing live-action versions of its cartoons? There's Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, the Lion King, Aladdin, and I'm probably forgetting at least one more. Is there a big demand?

[magicdog]

On 1/20/2018 at 6:01 AM, Joe said:

By the way, what's behind this recent Disney trend of doing live-action versions of its cartoons? There's Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, the Lion King, Aladdin, and I'm probably forgetting at least one more. Is there a big demand?

None that I know of!  In fact, they want to remake movies which were done well!  They also work better as animated features, rather than live action.  Please DIsney, stop the madness! 

Quote

I know most of you millennials never probably saw the original but is anyone looking forward to Bruce Willis in Death Wish (2018)??

 

Not really.  I saw and enjoyed the original, but I have a hunch the SJW tendencies of current cinema will rewrite Willis' character to either be killed by the police or arrested and given a stern lecture from a judge by the end.

Edited January 21, 2018 by magicdog

[methodwriter85]

West Side Story is moving forward, apparently, but I don't know if they plan on keeping the setting of 1950's New York City, because the area it's set in is completely different now.

Casting for this is going to be a bitch. You need people that are serious triple threats if you want to pull this off. This is not Les Miserables- the score and dance choreography are really demanding. I really hope they pick music talent this time then trying to get a "name". The musical itself should be the draw, not the star power. There seems to be this stigma now against using voice dubs so instead you get actors who murder the music (see: Russell Crowe in Les Miserables) so I hope they get people that can actually sing and not just sorta-sing. If they were smart, they'd get Lin Manuel to help them find actors that were both able to sing and ethnically appropriate.

Also, I hope they get a better Tony. My god, Richard Beymer was terrible. Natalie Wood couldn't sing, but she otherwise rocked the part.

[magicdog]

2 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

The musical itself should be the draw, not the star power.

Ideally, yes.  But Hollywood is also about the names that would bring in the box office.  For them it's too risky to bring in talented people that are virtual unknowns. 

In the original "Annie" adaptation (1982), Carol Burnett was brought in to play Miss Hannigan.  Now, she's a talented lady and did well in the film, but I can't help but think she was cast over Pat Carroll, who did the role on Broadway (and was excellent!) because she was better known on a marquee - even though Carroll had done film and TV for decades before and since.     

[methodwriter85]

9 hours ago, magicdog said:

Ideally, yes.  But Hollywood is also about the names that would bring in the box office.  For them it's too risky to bring in talented people that are virtual unknowns. 

In the original "Annie" adaptation (1982), Carol Burnett was brought in to play Miss Hannigan.  Now, she's a talented lady and did well in the film, but I can't help but think she was cast over Pat Carroll, who did the role on Broadway (and was excellent!) because she was better known on a marquee - even though Carroll had done film and TV for decades before and since.     

Yes. Like I said, musicals are fun but the problem is that they often cast star power over singing talent, and now that dubbing seems forbidden you're just getting really mediocre singing. See also: Pierce Brosnan in Mama Mia. (Yikes.) West Side Story is going to be hard to do that with, because it has such a challenging score and vocal demands. Rita Moreno actually IS a singer, and she had to be dubbed, too. (And it apparently pissed her off royally.)

It's kind of funny that none of the leads actually got use their own voices. But again, that goes to show you how hard that score was. I do wonder if that's part of why no one has tried touching West Story Story in almost 60 years.

[vibeology]

On 2018-01-20 at 9:01 AM, Joe said:

By the way, what's behind this recent Disney trend of doing live-action versions of its cartoons? There's Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, the Lion King, Aladdin, and I'm probably forgetting at least one more. Is there a big demand?

The draw is money. The live action films released so far have cleaned up at the box office. The public is clearly interested. 

[BetterButter]

Ryan Reynolds Signs First-Look Deal at Fox With ‘Clue’ Movie in the Works

[Bastet]

7 minutes ago, BetterButter said:

Ryan Reynolds Signs First-Look Deal at Fox With ‘Clue’ Movie in the Works

Ugh.  I cannot imagine a different cast and script falling into place as perfectly as the original did, but I can recite the movie verbatim and watch it several times a year, so I am obviously an obsessed fan.

[Joe]

1 hour ago, vibeology said:

The draw is money. The live action films released so far have cleaned up at the box office. The public is clearly interested. 

Really?Well, I suppose that's something. I only remember seeing a fairly lukewarm response online.

[xaxat]

On 1/21/2018 at 1:46 PM, methodwriter85 said:

West Side Story is moving forward, apparently, but I don't know if they plan on keeping the setting of 1950's New York City, because the area it's set in is completely different now.

The only version of West Side Story that I would be interested in watching is one produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda

[methodwriter85]

18 hours ago, xaxat said:

The only version of West Side Story that I would be interested in watching is one produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda

They would be absolute idiots not to have him involved. I think he's too old to be any of the Gang members but they need to have him on as a producer or something. Also, they are going to have to be super-careful about casting, because I think a Natalie Wood kind of casting would not be tolerated now. There has been a lot of heat on Mulan and Aladdin for casting ethnically-appropriate actors.

I am glad that at this point, J. Lo is way too old to play Anita now. You KNOW they would have tried for that if they had tried doing the remake 15 years ago.

Edited January 24, 2018 by methodwriter85

[Shannon L.]

I know it's a little too obvious, especially since they just did a movie together, but Zac Efron and Zendeya would do a great job in West Side Story, imo.   And I agree that having Lin Manuel on board in any capacity would be fantastic.

[methodwriter85]

9 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

I know it's a little too obvious, especially since they just did a movie together, but Zac Efron and Zendeya would do a great job in West Side Story, imo.   And I agree that having Lin Manuel on board in any capacity would be fantastic.

Zac's too old at this point. Some 30-year olds can pull off playing 10 years younger(Eddie Redmayne in Les Miserables), but he doesn't look like he can pull off 18 anymore. Going super-ripped gave him a pretty hot body, but it came at the cost of him having a boyish face. (Well, that, and just natural aging in general.)

If Ariana Grande didn't speak in that annoying faux-baby voice and give off that annoying "I'm a barely legal" sexpot deal, I would have rooted for her for Maria, but eh.

I could really see Nick Jonas for Tony but I kind of hope they go for unknowns. Maybe have Anita and Bernando played by stars. (Again, thank god that J. Lo is just way too old at this point to play Anita.)

[dusang]

On 1/22/2018 at 7:45 PM, Bastet said:

Ugh.  I cannot imagine a different cast and script falling into place as perfectly as the original did, but I can recite the movie verbatim and watch it several times a year, so I am obviously an obsessed fan.

For realsies -- I do not want Madeline Kahn's "flames ... flames on the sides of my face ... heaving ... heaving breath" replaced with Deadpool profanity quips.  I enjoyed Deadpool but Clue is straight up perfection.

 

Edited January 25, 2018 by dusang

[JustaPerson]

On 1/25/2018 at 1:44 AM, methodwriter85 said:

I could really see Nick Jonas

Please god no. I'm having flashbacks to him as Marius in the Les Mis 25th Anniversary Concert. But a Hollywood film would be different I suppose. Lip syncing and the like. Although it is trendy to do live singing in movie musicals nowadays. And wouldn't a Zendaya casting create a backlash given that she isn't Puerto Rican, or even Latina?

*shudders *

Edited January 27, 2018 by JustaPerson

[Popples]

I had very low expectations for Nick Jonas going in watching Les Mis' 25th anniversary concert, so I didn't think he was that bad. Then Michael Ball showed up at the end, and I was like "Little boy needs to get off the stage, because that's how it's done."

[Lugal]

On 1/22/2018 at 5:45 PM, Bastet said:

Ugh.  I cannot imagine a different cast and script falling into place as perfectly as the original did, but I can recite the movie verbatim and watch it several times a year, so I am obviously an obsessed fan.

Completely agree.  The original was damn near perfect, and I don't see how anyone could improve on it.

"This is war Peacock!  To make an omelette you have to break a few eggs.  Every cook knows that!"

"But look what happened to the cook!"

[Constant Viewer]

On 1/12/2017 at 12:15 AM, Trini said:

We have the technology now to make an amazing-looking live-action version of The Last Unicorn, but there are rights issues, I think?

I don't know about rights issues, but I would love to see a Last Unicorn movie that was like the book. I got to see the Last Unicorn tour a few years ago and the author, Peter S. Beagle, mentioned that Christopher Lee said he would still play King Haggard. Sadly that wont happen now, but it would be nice to see a new version.

[methodwriter85]

Kristen Stewart is again expressing interest to star in the Charlie's Angel reboot

I just re-watched Full Throttle and I couldn't believe just how cheesy and dated the whole thing was, especially with Drew Barrymore's trite "No guns!" message. The fight scenes were so eye-rolling as a result. It's funny to realize just how different action movies were back in the early 2000's- it doesn't feel that long ago but wow I really felt that while watching it. You try putting that movie out now and it would land with a thud. But PG-13 summer blockbuster movies were probably never really built to stay classic, especially that era.

It'll be interesting to see what Elizabeth Banks does with it. I wonder if it's going gritty, or if they're keeping it campy. I'm not so sure Kristen Stewart would be interested in a campy version, though, so if she's seen the treatment or whatever I'm leaning towards grittier.

Edited March 3, 2018 by methodwriter85

[magicdog]

I don't know why they'd want to reboot Charlie's Angels again!  The first film was ok (propped up by William Forsythe coming back as the voice of Charlie), the second was forgettable, and the TV reboot flopped big time (though I think in part it was because the TV reboot chose to make the angels former criminals, whereas in the original, they were former cops who felt unfulfilled).   

I really don't see this working out well.  With my luck it will end up as distasteful and unfunny as the Baywatch movie!  

[BetterButter]

John Woo Taps Lupita Nyong’o For ‘The Killer’ Redo At Universal

[Athena]

14 hours ago, BetterButter said:

John Woo Taps Lupita Nyong’o For ‘The Killer’ Redo At Universal

I am definitely looking forward to this as I grew up with the original. I love Lupita and I think she would make a great action star. She mentioned during the Black Panther promo tour that they had to cut back on her pre-filming training because she was becoming too fit/muscular. It'll be interesting how she takes on a overt action role. 

[proserpina65]

On ‎04‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 2:02 PM, DisneyBoy said:

Was there ever a remake of Midnight in London? It's a famously lost film and I feel like studios would have capitalized on that by making a new version at some point...

Do you mean London After Midnight?  The horror film starring Lon Chaney?

 

On ‎01‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 8:18 PM, Joe said:

Really?Well, I suppose that's something. I only remember seeing a fairly lukewarm response online.

Online is not what matters to Disney; it's about the bottom line.  I will say that the live action Jungle Book was terrific.

[dusang]

There's a new Robin Hood starring Taron Egerton. I do love Taron but there's no need for a Robin Hood reinterpretation -- he's not an animated fox, Alan Rickman is not in this, and there are no men in tights. All other Robin Hoods are superfluous.

Edited May 14, 2018 by dusang