6 Hollywood Remakes That Deserve To Fade Into Oblivion

Not every attempt to revisit the past and milk the well-known dead cow is going to succeed.

Here are six Hollywood remakes that have fallen flat on their faces and failed to capture the magic of their predecessors.

6. Carrie (2013)

Despite efforts at modernization and the hiring of a capable cast, including Chloë Grace Moretz as Carrie and Julianne Moore, the remake simply lacks originality.

While the 1976 original closely followed Stephen King 's source material, capturing the essence of the time period and the pivotal role of Carrie's mother, the remake sticks too closely to the original and adds too little new material, making the film a glossy retelling of a familiar story.

5. The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008)

A remake of a nearly 50-year-old film like The Day the Earth Stood Still may be fascinating, but while the original film was based on Cold War anxieties, the remake takes a different approach, relying heavily on visual effects.

Despite the efforts of Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, and Jaden Smith, the film fails to deliver on its message of saving humanity, especially considering the high cost of saving the planet after the alien intervention.

4. Taxi (2004)

Based on Luc Besson's 1998 French film of the same name, the American remake starring Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah has an entirely different plot involving international espionage. While the original has charm, humor, and several sequels spawned by the film's success, the remake doesn't have the lasting impact as Luc Besson's franchise.

3. Black Christmas (2019)

Blumhouse Productions came up short in its attempt to remake the original Canadian slasher film of the same name. While the revamped version aimed to emphasize feminist themes and keep the suspenseful scenes intact, it failed to match the uniqueness of the original, especially as one of the earlier slasher films.

The remake also made the mistake of incorporating supernatural elements, moving away from the terror of a real, ambiguous human killer lurking in your home.

2. Psycho (1998)

Gus Van Sant's shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece from the 1960s left a lot of people scratching their heads. While the intention may have been to pay homage, the remake ended up feeling like a pale imitation of the iconic original.

Starring Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates and Anne Heche as Marion Crane, the revamped Psycho disappoints with its overacting, weird scenes, and turning potential suspense into unintentional humor.

1. Ghostbusters ( 2016)

The 2016 remake attempted to reinvent the beloved 1984 supernatural comedy with the iconic quartet of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis, but it stumbled and fell into the pit of shame.

The decision to replace the original male cast with a female one didn't sit well with everyone, sparking discussions about gender roles and failing to capture the same magic that made the original a classic.