Hollywood these days is no longer the original IP film-making institution it once was, instead relying on massive sprawling franchises, spin-offs, and of course remakes. With that in mind, here are the five remakes better than the original, which in itself is rare, for example, no one thinks the Colin Farrell remake of Total Recall is better than Arnie’s original, do they?
Casino Royale (2006)
The first of Daniel Craig’s Bond films and arguably the best, you might be surprised to know it’s actually a remake. Obviously James Bond is a long-standing cinematic character based on the novels by Ian Fleming, played by multiple different actors over the sixty-odd years we’ve had him on screen. The original Casino Royale couldn’t be further from the brooding, gritty, and the grounded version we got in 2006, in that it’s a campy comedy and with a lot less parkour and heart attacks in a car.
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True Grit (2010)
The Coen Brothers took it upon themselves to remake this western, the original being back in 1969. Following much of the same story beats as the original, in true Coen Brothers fashion, they put their own unique spin on the film, elevating it in many ways the original couldn’t manage. Western’s are big on remakes, with multiple over the years occurring, but this would be the only one worthy of these five remakes better than the original list.
Oceans 11 (2001)
With an equally star-studded cast as the original starring the Rat Pack back in the sixties, the remake modernized the original with many beneficial changes throughout the film. Whilst the two sequels that followed weren’t exactly up to par, this was at least entertaining and brought the premise to an entirely new generation who wouldn’t have seen the original.
It Chapter’s One and Two (2017, 2019)
I’m not the biggest fan of the original It, just for full disclosure, but it’s widely regarded that the two recent remakes are superior to the original, especially the first part. Focusing much more on Pennywise over the two films than the original, it also fleshes out the stories of the kids significantly, and adds a lot from the novel that wasn’t in the original at all, but thankfully still takes the decision to leave out the infamous novel orgy scene.
Related: Why Stephen King Doesn’t Regret Including His Controversial Underage Orgy in IT
The Fly (1986)
Arguably the biggest and most recognizable film of Jeff Goldblum’s long career other than obviously Jurassic Park, The Fly is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name. Known for its body horror prosthetic makeup, terrifying special effects as a whole, and generally for just being one of the 80’s horrors that aren’t a slasher, The Fly ups everything from the original.
So there are my entries for five remakes better than the original, but what would you have included? And do you disagree with any of mine? Let us know in the comments.
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