At times, Hollywood can seem like one giant, expensive recycling center, with reboots,
sequels, and remakes galore pumping out of Tinseltown every other week.
And while many of those projects may be doomed from the start due to audience disinterest,
bad timing, or poor production, there are some remakes that have proven to be worthwhile.
Looking ahead at what's coming up, there are quite a few in-the-works remakes that might
just work out well.
Check these out:
Firestarter
Stephen King readers and pyromaniacs, rejoice: Akiva Goldsman is set to direct a remake of
Firestarter, the 1984 film starring little Drew Barrymore, which tells the the story
of a young girl named Charlie who's pyrokinetic and trying to escape the clutches of an evil
government entity.
"Please don't make me DO anything."
Yes, it was totally a primer for Netflix's Stranger Things, which is probably why it's
the perfect time to revive this explosive entry in the King collection.
Goldsman has some wide experience dealing with drama and action, writing the scripts
for a variety of films like A Beautiful Mind, I, Robot and The Dark Tower.
So, his screenplay skills will definitely benefit the project, as he's partnering with
Scott Teems to co-write the script before taking the helm on the new Firestarter.
No word yet on who'll play Charlie, but the role will definitely present some up-and-coming
actress with an incredible opportunity to showcase her star potential... and light the
silver screen on fire.
Papillon
As the undisputed King of Cool, Steve McQueen is a mighty hard act to follow.
But that's not going to stop Charlie Hunnam from giving it a shot.
The Sons of Anarchy actor is starring in a remake of Papillon, the 1973 film based on
the memoirs of Henri Charriere.
A French criminal convicted of murder, Charriere escaped from Devil's Island before writing
his best-selling book.
"I'm innocent!
I didn't kill that pimp."
This time, Hunnam will sport the titular tattoo, but he'll need a little help escaping from
his South American prison.
In the original film, McQueen's character was assisted by counterfeiter Louis Dega,
played by Dustin Hoffman.
In the remake, Rami Malek of Mr. Robot fame will be taking on the role, and Michael Noer
will direct.
El Desconocido
Released in 2015, El Desconocido was a Spanish thriller that feels a whole lot like the Keanu
Reeves classic Speed.
"WHOA."
The movie follows a banker who's driving his kids to school one day when he receives a
phone call telling him the car is rigged with a bomb that'll detonate if he doesn't do as
he's told.
As for the remake, well, if you're going to cast a guy who's trying to protect his family
from a terrorist, who would you pick other than Liam Neeson?
"The one and only…"
"Liam Neeson!"
The action star will play a Wall Street executive caught in a game of life or death, and instead
of being titled El Desconocido, the movie will be known as Retribution.
Disorder (aka Maryland)
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the director of Logan teamed up with the screenwriter
of Hell or High Water?
Well, the answer is magic — grim, blood-splattered magic, coming soon to a theater near you.
"That's too big.
That's what she said."
James Mangold and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan have teamed up to remake the French thriller
Disorder (also known as Maryland), a film about a retired Special Ops soldier with PTSD
who's hired to protect the wife and kid of a big-deal businessman.
The remake will be set in Spain, and a romantic subplot will give the new protagonist a different
"affliction."
The protagonist is also described as "a potential franchise character," which means he must
get out of the first film alive … so, um, spoiler alert?
As they say, though, it's not so much about the destination as it is the journey, especially
when it comes to remakes like these.
Miss Bala
Directed by Gerardo Naranjo, Miss Bala impressed quite a few critics when it debuted at Cannes.
Loosely based on a true story, this thriller follows a Mexican beauty pageant contestant
who's kidnapped by a drug lord and forced into becoming part of his gang.
And now, the Spanish-language crime flick is about to get an English-language adaptation.
Gina Rodriguez of Jane the Virgin is set to play the lead, with Twilight director Catherine
Hardwicke at the helm.
But you should probably expect fewer sparkly vampires this time around and much more bloodshed.
After all, "bala" is Spanish for "bullet."
Toni Erdmann
In 2016, German audiences were wowed by Toni Erdmann, a comedy that many considered one
of the best movies of the year.
The nearly three-hour film follows an elderly music teacher named Winfried who tries to
reunite with his business-minded daughter by pretending to be Toni Erdmann, a goofy
life coach with a bad wig and buck-teeth.
In addition to winning over film critics, the movie also impressed Jack Nicholson, drawing
the Hollywood legend out of quasi-retirement.
After watching the film, the actor went to Paramount with the idea for a remake, and
earned the lead in the pic, with Kristin Wiig playing the daughter.
Widows
One of the best filmmakers working today, Steve McQueen has directed some truly incredible
films, like Hunger and 12 Years a Slave.
And now, it looks like the British director is getting into the remake game.
Only instead of adapting a film, he's going to give us his own take on Widows, a BBC TV
series that first hit the airwaves back in 1983.
The original show features a group of thieves that are killed in a heist-gone-wrong, so
their wives band together to finish the job.
McQueen has had the project on his radar since at least 2014, but now things are really coming
together.
The director co-wrote the film with Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn and has since assembled
an impressive cast list that includes Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez,
Viola Davis, Robert Duvall, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Kaluuya, and Jacki Weaver.
The film makes its way to theaters in November, 2018.
Train to Busan
While it slipped past most Americans, Train to Busan was a major hit in South Korea.
The horror film focuses on a work-obsessed dad who takes his unhappy daughter to visit
her mom.
But their trip is interrupted by a swarm of attacking zombies.
Obviously.
As the danger escalates, the central hero arrives as someone who's only looking out
for himself and his kid but aims to work with fellow passengers to protect everyone onboard.
Critics fell in love with Train to Busan, and so did audiences.
Like the best zombie movies, the movie blends monsters with metaphor, and now it's getting
an English-language remake set in the U.S.
No word yet on who'll direct or star in the pic, but if it's even half as exciting as
the original, this one'll be worth the ride.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Based on Jack Finney's classic novel, Invasion of the Body Snatchers has inspired generations
of movies.
There were several different film adaptations of the story before the concept of alien body-takeovers
saw its way into other films like Halloween III and The Faculty.
Now, it looks like the pod people are gearing up for another attack.
Warner Bros. is planning a new Invasion of the Body Snatchers remake with the help of
producer John Davis.
With its eerie aliens and infectious paranoia, filmmakers have consistently used the creepy
plot to address all sorts of cultural fears, from communist witch hunts and 1970s cults
to the military.
In these contentious times, it'll be interesting to see what modern-day topic screenwriter
David Leslie Johnson will tackle.
There aren't any updates yet on who will star, but rest assured…
"They're coming!
They're coming!"
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