10 Movie Remakes We Would Love to See

      We understand that you're weary of Hollywood remakes and wish studios would concentrate on new ideas.

      However, there are certain films that genuinely merit remakes. Some feature excellent concepts that didn't translate well to the screen, while others come from source material that warrants further exploration.

      These films are among the few that truly deserve remakes that could realize their full potential.

      **Black Widow (1987)**

      Credit: 20th Century Fox

      The original Black Widow — distinct from the Marvel film starring Scarlett Johansson — is an excellent neo-noir featuring a Department of Justice official (Debra Winger) who becomes fixated on a mysterious woman (Theresa Russell) suspected of murdering her husbands.

      So, why a remake? Why tamper with a good film?

      In this instance, the original Black Widow contains a sapphic subtext that was not fully developed in the 1988 movie. Given the more open-minded attitudes of today, a remake could explore the women’s relationship more thoroughly.

      **The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen**

      Credit: Twentieth Century Fox

      The original League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, based on the comics by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill, boasts one of the most intriguing concepts in cinema: a coalition of classic literary characters, including Allan Quatermain, Nemo, Mina Harker, Dorian Gray, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, and Tom Sawyer, embarking on steampunk adventures in the Victorian Era.

      The film was met with poor reviews and suffered from an imbalance among the characters; Sean Connery, playing Quatermain, was the most famous actor, and his high salary limited the casting of other notable stars for key roles.

      Envision a modern adaptation featuring a well-rounded cast of stars who can also bring strong character performances, such as Cate Blanchett, Nicolas Cage, Christian Bale, Daniel Kaluuya, and Bill Murray.

      We would love to see Wes Anderson take on this intellectual property.

      **John Carter (2012)**

      Credit: Disney

      One of the oldest intellectual properties, based on the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter was turned into a 2012 film that flopped.

      Most of Burroughs’ John Carter stories featured “of Mars” in the title, and simply calling the film John Carter did little to convey its content to audiences. This was just the tip of the iceberg regarding the film’s marketing failures; the Washington Post’s Michael Cavna labeled it one of Hollywood’s "biggest marketing flops ever."

      While Taylor Kitsch was a decent John Carter, the film failed to clarify what made John Carter special — a century-old science fiction tale that influenced numerous subsequent sci-fi projects, including Star Wars. It should have been tackled as an epic cinematic interpretation of a literary classic, akin to the Lord of the Rings films; instead, it was met with indifference.

      With its substantial budget, it’s unlikely anyone will attempt a remake soon. Nonetheless, this is a case where the source material is strong, but the execution faltered.

      **World War Z (2013)**

      Credit: Paramount Pictures

      World War Z is an engaging film and a solid zombie action narrative featuring Brad Pitt. It was also a box office success, grossing over $500 million.

      However, the 2006 novel by Max Brooks that inspired the film is vastly superior: it uses a zombie apocalypse as a backdrop to examine and critique geopolitics, social failures, and human nature. It’s an engaging read with much to convey.

      World War Z could easily translate into a multi-season HBO series similar to Game of Thrones. Its superficial similarities with HBO’s The Last of Us and AMC’s The Walking Dead might hinder or help its potential.

      The Hollywood Reporter mentions that an update of World War Z is on Paramount's priority list for potential remakes or reboots, given its new ownership.

      **Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)**

      Credit: STXfilms

      The 2017 film drew inspiration from the long-standing French science fiction comic series Valérian and Laureline, created by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières. The series has garnered affection since its 1967 debut, but some essence was lost in Luc Besson’s film adaptation.

      The plot follows Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) as they venture to Alpha, a city teeming with a multitude of species from various planets, confronting a threat that could annihilate the universe.

      Besson, who self-financed the approximately $180 million film, was known for his wildly imaginative sci-fi epic The Fifth Element, which created high expectations.

      Yet, Valerian underperformed at the box office, receiving mixed reviews, although many recognized that Besson had at least made a bold attempt. A. O. Scott of The New York Times remarked that the film seemed “as if it were made up on