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There’s something about walking into a cinema that feels like stepping into another world. The buttery smell of the freshly made popcorn, the sound of tickets being ripped, the pre-movie chatter – and even the sticky floor from spilled soft drinks.
Going to the movies has been a beloved past time for more than a century, and we all have our favourite genres and actors to see.
Often times, the popular story on screen is one we’ve seen before, produced as a remake of the original movie. However, we often find ourselves leaving the cinema saying, ‘it wasn’t as good as the original’, or ‘it wasn’t as good as the first one’ if it’s a sequel.
So, why does the film industry produce remakes of movies? We spoke with Deakin University’s Dr Sian Mitchell, a senior lecturer specialising in screen culture, film studies and media.
So, how is a movie remake actually defined?
‘On one level, we can say that a film remake is a version of a film that has already been made,’ says Dr Mitchell. ‘It often shares the same title and/or story and characters.’
‘On another level, a remake could also be a film that draws from or is influenced by a previous film and recontextualises it for a new and contemporary audience without necessarily directly referencing the original in the title,’ she explains.
Think of it this way: there are the obvious remakes, like 1998 version of The Parent Trap, which was a remake of the 1961 original, and the many iterations of A Star is Born across the decades. Then there are remakes in disguise – think West Side Story, which is based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and Clueless, which is a playful retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma.
So, are these remakes generally a success, or are audiences often left in disappointment?
‘They’re definitely something that can work!,’ says Dr Mitchell. ‘I think what can make a remake successful is when it contemporises the original, while also conjuring the memory of it through certain stylistic or thematic choices.’
If a movie is a 10/10, why bother trying to top that with a remake of the movie? Shouldn’t it be left untouched?
Not necessarily. Some successful remakes stuck closely to the original storyline, just with a fresh coat of paint. For example, we see this with Willy Wonka and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
According to Dr Mitchell, sometimes the motivation behind producing a remake can be purely to tap into fans of the original film.
‘In a commercial sense, one clear reason would be box office where there may already be a built-in audience for the remake who are fans of the original. Remakes can be seen as a conservative and low-risk proposition for a studio because of this’, she says.
Another reason for movie remakes is so that filmmakers can pay their respect to their influences.
‘I think there are filmmakers out there who genuinely want to pay homage to the original film because as creators they have been influenced by these earlier works or find something in them that speaks to the contemporary moment, whether these endeavours are successful or not,’ Dr Mitchell explains.
Movies are being remade all the time, and perhaps more than we even realise. Whether it’s an obvious movie remake or a subtle reimagining, of inspiration is often coming from something that already exists.
One of the most talked-about movie remakes of late is the return of Freaky Friday as Freakier Friday, which was in cinemas recently. It brought back Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis for another round of body-swapping chaos.
2025 has seen plenty of reboots, including amovie remake of Snow White, which received heavy criticism from film critics. Lilo & Stitch also returned to the screens, tapping into early 2000s notalgia and landing more softly with viewers.
Outside of the Disney vault, other remakes have grabbed attention, too: the 2024 movie remake of Mean Girls refreshed the cult teen comedy, and a 2021 remake of Dune proved that an epic sci-fi classic can be reborn for a new generation.
Some of Dr Mitchell’s most preferred remakes date back as far as the 1980s.
‘There are some incredible remakes like Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983), Zach Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead (2004) or Nancy Meyers’ The Parent Trap (1998),’ says Dr Mitchell.
Many people may not realise the 2018 release of A Star is Born was actually movie remake. The original was actually produced in 1937, and another remake followed in 1976. The modern remake was incredibly successful, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper and grossing over $436 million at the box office.
Not all movie remakes land well with audiences. When it comes to movie remakes that don’t hit the mark, Dr Mitchell says it often comes down to a sense of fatigue around the subject.
‘I can understand a kind of fatigue with remakes when they appear in abundance to capitalise on a filmmaking trend without much thought put into them creatively or aesthetically,’ says Dr Mitchell. ‘Similar to how some sequels or serials might feel for some audiences – like MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) fatigue.’
Attachment can also play a role; if you love the original, there’s no guarantee you’ll enjoy the remake.
‘I think this comes down to a nostalgic attachment to the original film where the audience has an expectation that it will (or should) be like the film they love. Perhaps this is the curse of remakes, it is a bit of a double-edged sword,’ says Dr Mitchell.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference, and as Dr Mitchell says, sometimes you can’t win.
‘They can be criticised for not being close enough to the original or criticised for being too close and not doing anything new with the story,’ she says.
Some of the worst rated movie remakes include RoboCop, Snow White, The Lion King, Pinocchio, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Mummy.
Hollywood isn’t slowing down on movie remakes, and as a film expert, Dr Mitchell says there’s a couple in store she can’t wait to see.
‘I’m not sure if I’m looking forward to this, but I am certainly intrigued to see that Toni Erdmann may be remade with Kristin Wiig and directed by Lisa Cholodenko. The original is a fantastic German film from 2016 directed by Maren Ade.
‘Otherwise, I would say The Bride! directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, which has been referred to as a remake of Bride of Frankenstein (1935) in the media. I just saw the trailer for it and I’m in!’ she says.
There’s always high hopes for the movie remake to be greater than the original, but at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference. It’s a bit like choosing your popcorn: are you a sweet or salty fan?
