Move over, Hollywood! If we were given the keys to the cinematic kingdom, there’s a few reboots we’d love to bring to the silver screen. We think these franchises are long overdue for another kick at the ball, so today we’re examining 10 of our top faves.
We’ve purposely avoided movies that already have a reboot in development, or at least a strong indication. Instead, we’re going to tackle a few films you may not have thought need the reboot treatment - until now! Let’s take a look.
DICK TRACY
What’s old is inevitably new again, and Warren Beatty figured this out in 1990 when he decided to pull double-duty as both star and director for Dick Tracy. Although a bit hard to digest when it was first released, the film has gone on to achieve cult status thanks to a brilliant vision that brought classic 1940s and 50s movie themes into the modern era. It also sported one of the most amazing supporting casts in film, including Madonna, Al Pacino, William Forsythe, Dustin Hoffman and many more.
It’s been 30 years since that film was released, and it’s high time someone took another crack at a remake. The success of TV shows like Mad Men, and movies like Once Upon A Time In Hollywood have proven that audiences are willing to take a trip back in time for a good story.
GAME OF DEATH
Bruce Lee never got to finish the original Game Of Death due to his passing in 1973, which is why a second actor was brought in to complete his scenes for an eventual 1978 release. Far from perfect, this version of the film is notorious for a scene where a cutout of Lee’s face is pasted (badly) onto his badly double. It’s a shame, because the film does have some excellent fight sequences, including a now-famous battle between Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
We’d like to see a remake done in the same spectacular style as Jet Li’s Fist Of Legend, perhaps with Iko Uwais taking over the lead role. Extra care would be required so as not to plagiarize the original concept, which might mean jettisoning Abdul-Jabbar’s character in favor of an altogether different, yet equally challenging opponent.
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER
There has been some talk of a Universal Soldier re-imagining in the works from screenwriter Richard Wenk, but so far nothing has materialized. The original was an action-packed spectacle which pitted two of cinema’s most well-known tough guys against each other, to great effect. It all seemed to go downhill after the first installment, however. First, a string of sub-par sequels featuring an entirely different cast, followed by 1999’s Universal Soldier: The Return, which seemed to throw several major plot elements into the trash in favor a nonsensical script. 2009’s Regeneration and 2012’s Day Of Reckoning would breathe a bit of life into the franchise, but by this point, it was nearly impossible to follow along.
What made the original film so great was the mix of high-octane action bravado, explosive combat sequences and a healthy dose of comic relief thrown in for good measure. Reproduce this mixture, and Universal Soldier could live again!
TRANSFORMERS
We aren’t sure what’s coming down the pipe for the live-action Transformers film franchise, but 2018’s Bumblebee did manage to excite long-term fans who watched the Cybertron flashback sequences. For the first time, the Transformers looked and felt like their cartoon counterparts, with the personalities to match. Let’s face it - Transformers has been largely miss or hit when it comes to delivering the goods. Bumblebee changed all that.
The problem with Bumblebee is that it introduced too many plot holes into established film canon, turning the entire thing into a big ol’ block of Highlander. The visionary concept could (and should) be turned towards a complete reboot of the franchise. Tease it with Cybertron’s mysterious history, shift the focus to Earth, then take it back out into space by introducing characters like the Quintessons, and eventually the biggest baddie of them all - Unicron.
LADYHAWKE
This classic was one of the best fantasy romance films of the 1980s. The plot focuses around a Knight and his lover who have both been cursed by an evil Bishop. By day, she turns into a hawk, and by night, he turns into a wolf. As such, they are permanently separated. Rutger Hauer’s performance as the tortured Etienne is matched only by Michelle Pfeiffer’s character Isabeau. Their reuniting during the final act of the film is one of the most memorable (and moving) happy endings in film history.
The original is set in medieval Europe, but we’d prefer a remake set in a fantasy world, much like The Witcher. A film involving magical curses should have a few monsters and wizards to go along with it, and it would certainly do a lot for the overall impact of the film.
ARACHNOPHOBIA
The original Arachnophobia is a classic, but we can do with another! The first film is specific in terms of how the spider infestation manages to spread across the small town of Canaima, so a change of scenery might be in order for a remake. We’re imagining an expedition into the deep unknowns of the Brazilian rainforest, which would not only switch up the locale, but give a nod to the opening act of the original film.
From there, spider-mania could abound freely, and inflict a fresh round of irrational phobias onto a new generation of film goers!
DUEL
Steven Spielberg’s first big screen film Duel remains one of the most harrowing thrillers of all time. The premise is simple, yet unnervingly plausible! A regular Joe somehow manages to anger the faceless driver of a shoddy looking tanker in the Mojave desert, kicking off an hour of the worst road rage you can imagine! Eerie for its time, the storyline is far too familiar in today’s world of dashcam road rage videos.
If nothing else, a remake of Duel could feature some of the best on-screen vehicle stunts ever put to film, while delivering a sharp and poignant message about modern society’s frayed nerves and short tempers.
ENEMY MINE
At first glance, Enemy Mine appeared to be a sci-fi story involving a game of cat and mouse between a human starfighter pilot and his alien foe. In truth, it was a smart, unique film that put two adversaries in a hostile environment and forced them to work together, forging a bridge of trust and friendship in the process. We enjoyed the original for many reasons, but the third act of the film feels a bit hollow without the presence of Jeriba Shigan, played brilliantly by Louis Gossett, Jr.
We would probably jettison the birth of Jeriba’s child Zammis in favor of a story that can properly focus on bridging the gap between the two rival races. We would love to see a remake where Jeriba and Davidge work together to free the Drac slaves from the scavengers, attracting the attention of both governments in the process.
FORBIDDEN PLANET
Forbidden Planet didn’t just break a ton of technical ground in the 1950s, but it ushered in the arrival of intellectual, thought-provoking sci-fi that would serve as an inspiration for films that came after it.
We’d love to see a remake that amps up the psychological terror glimpsed in the original. A greater focus on Krell technology and its tragic marriage to the dark urges of the human psyche could end up being one of the most exciting sci-fi movies in some time. Any excuse is good enough to update Forbidden Planet for a new audience!
HIGHLANDER
Highlander is a franchise that needs a second shot at life. The series is notorious for being marred by constant studio meddling, and progressively awful scripts that culminated with 2007’s abysmal Highlander: The Source.
It’s high time to bring Highlander back to its roots, while making some slight changes to the series’ mythology in order to regain some of the mystery. There’s a lot of great stories to tell, and Highlander deserves the opportunity. This is one of the few times where the phrase “There can be only one” does not apply!
