These Are The Worst Movie Remakes of All Time

There have been some epic movies over the years. There have also been some movie remakes that flopped hard compared to the originals.

So what happens when things don’t go to plan? That’s when we’re left with movie remakes that flopped hard compared to the originals. It can be a whole host of things that cause a movie to fall short of the original. Sometimes it’s the cast; sometimes it’s changes to the original story, and sometimes it’s best to leave a good thing alone rather than trying to improve on something that’s already perfect.

The 2005 The Longest Yard wasn’t the same without Burt Reynolds

The late Burt Reynolds took the reins in the original release of the comedy ‘The Longest Yard’ in 1974. The rugged actor told the story of a football player who gathers his fellow prisoners as they train for a game against the prison guards. Who could ever step into Burt’s shoes and bring the character back to life? Adam Sandler?

The actor wasn’t at the top of most people’s lists, but he still landed himself the lead part. Although both movies were designed to be comedies, the 1974 release tried to highlight the treatment of inmates in prison. In contrast, the 2005 remake saw Adam Sandler do what Adam Sandler does best – much to many people’s annoyance. The reviews speak for themselves.

Moving across the pond greatly affected the 2000 remake of Get Carter

In 1971, the world got to see the crime movie ‘Get Carter’ brought to life for the first time. It’s a film all about Jack Carter as he returns to his hometown in the hopes of finding out who really ended his brother’s life. The 2000 remake promised great things as Sylvester Stallone stepped up to play the lead, but too many changes lost the original charm.

The movie was no longer set in Britain and took place in the US instead. The change of scenery meant the story had a different feel. That was teamed with a plot that seemed to be following a set pattern, rather than the original twists and turns that grabbed people in the 1971 release.

Keanu Reeves’ version of Point Break became an unexpected cult classic

Keanu Reeves has been the star of several hit movies. Thankfully, the actor worked his charm once again in 1991 as he starred in the action-thriller ‘Point Break.’ However, the story was different from any other movie before as an FBI agent tried to bring down a gang of bank robbers who just so happen to be excellent surfers.

On paper, it sounded as though ‘Point Break’ was destined to fail. That was until the audience somehow fell in love with the ridiculous storylines and saw the movie become a cult classic. Many have questioned how you are supposed to recapture the magic of an unexpected hit. The answer? It might not be possible. The 2015 remake certainly proved that point.

Paris Holton’s on-screen passing became the selling point of House of Wax

Did you know the 1953 version of ‘House of Wax’ was a remake of the 1933 ‘Mystery of the Wax Museum’? Many audiences couldn’t wait to see the horror movie brought back to life as they watched a wax sculptor stock his museum with real people covered in wax. Hollywood wanted to take another shot at the film in 2005.

This time, the likes of Chad Michael Murray and Paris Hilton stepped up to bring the story back to life. However, the remake relied more on cheap scares and shallow characters rather than the original story. In fact, the marketing for the disappointing remake soon turned into giving the audience a chance to watch Paris lose her life on the big screen.

Nicolas Cage’s version of The Wicker Man became a meme more than a hit

It comes to something when you create such memorable scenes they become some of the most beloved memes on the internet. Nicolas Cage is no stranger to a meme, with his time in the 2006 remake of the horror movie ‘The Wicker Man’ just one of the many films on the list. The original hit the big screen in 1973 as officer Neil Howie takes it upon himself to find a missing girl.

He believes that she has been taken to an island run by a cult but eventually learns that his fate is much worse than anything he could have ever imagined. The harrowing moments from the original movie suddenly became almost laughable as Nic Cage tried to recreate the magic of the first.

The political themes in Red Dawn came at the wrong time for many

Some movies need to be in the right place at the right time to find a loving audience. That was something the 2012 remake of the action movie ‘Red Dawn’ learned the hard way. The original version of the film focused on Russia taking over the US at the peak of the Cold War. In contrast, the remake focused on a North Korean takeover instead.

Although the story was updated, it went to places that most deemed inappropriate and somehow still followed the same story as the original. It turned out that some aspects of the film were there to stay – even though ‘Red Dawn’ was quickly becoming a very different movie. Criticism was also aimed at the acting and effects, culminating in poor reviews.

Meg Ryan and Carrie Fisher never shone in the remake of The Women

The original 1939 comedy movie ‘The Women’ used so many women that no men are seen throughout the entire story. In fact, even the pets used in the film are all female as the characters explore their relationship with men. Several people have pushed to see more women-led productions in Hollywood. So the 2008 remake had everything it needed to succeed, right?

Wrong. The remake even saw Meg Ryan and Carrie Fisher take starring roles, but their talents were largely wasted as the characters lacked wit and charm. The original ‘The Women’ saw snappy lines and loveable characters. The remake? Critic Linda Barnard told The Star that things were “lost in translation” as they tried to retell the story in the modern-day.

Nicolas Cage couldn’t bring Bangkok Dangerous back to life in 2008

Even though Nicolas Cage is one of the biggest names in Hollywood, the actor has often found himself caught up in several box office flops throughout his career. The original ‘Bangkok Dangerous’ came out in 1999 and took audiences on an emotional rollercoaster as they followed the story of an assassin named Kong.

He can’t speak or hear and struggles to find his way in the world. In the end, the film culminates with a tragic end. Just nine years later, Nic Cage brought the movie back to life, but several of the main selling points were gone. Nic plays Joe, an assassin who isn’t mute or deaf. The storyline is confusing, and the turning point of the film is lost amongst the confusion.

Zombie movies don’t always pay off, like the remake of Day of the Dead

Zombie movies have created a huge market in Hollywood in the last few decades. The 1985 original film was one of the many that managed to tap into the relatively new genre at the time. Like many other zombie flicks, several of the creatures are kept for research purposes only for them to escape and cause major conflict.

Although it was a zombie movie, the original focused less on gore and more on the breakdown of communication around the world. Unfortunately for the 2008 remake, it decided to flip things around and included several gore-filled scenes, leaving any underlying messages as an afterthought. Team that with overly intelligent zombies and cheap special effects, and the remake flopped hard compared to the original.

The 2008 remake of One Missed Call really missed the mark

You know a film probably missed the mark when it scores 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. That was the case for the 2008 remake of the horror movie ‘One Missed Call.’ The original Japanese film focuses on people getting voicemails from their future selves as they describe how they lose their lives. The remake had the potential to take the original and turn it into something even more terrifying.

That was until critics got their hands on the final piece and explained in detail how every aspect of the story just wasn’t scary enough to meet their needs. Is there anything worse than a boring horror movie? Probably not. Thankfully, the original has subtitles, meaning curious fans can still enjoy the magic of the first film.

Keanu Reeves’ take on The Day the Earth Stood Still didn’t sit well with fans

Even though it was released in 1951, the sci-fi movie ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ has messages about society still considered relevant today. It became a huge hit and has gained plenty of fans all these decades later. The same can’t be said for the 2008 remake. Have you heard the saying if it’s not broken, don’t fix it?

This is one of those times. Keanu Reeves took on the new lead role of Klaatu, but many were confused to see a sinister version of the once kind character. That was topped off by the movie’s reliance on special effects instead of focusing on the main story. In the end, the film certainly rubbed many people the wrong way.

John Carpenter didn’t leave the audience scared in the remake of The Fog

Director John Carpenter has been behind several hits over the years, including the 1980 cult classic, the horror ‘The Fog.’ The movie sees a mysterious fog take over a town in California before ghosts arrive and terrorize the local residents. The film takes every advantage to use slow build-ups to terrifying moments rather than opting for obvious scare moments.

Even though John Carpenter worked as the producer on the remake of the film, it didn’t sit well with critics. The ghosts were far less threatening and the fear never built in the same way. If there’s one thing a horror film should be, it’s scary. Sadly for the 2005 release of ‘The Fog,’ it missed the mark in more than one way.

Director John Carpenter couldn’t recreate his former magic with Village of the Damned

British horror film ‘Village of the Damned’ had many checking over their shoulders in 1960. One morning, all the women in a small village wake up and learn they’re pregnant before giving birth to scarily powerful and intelligent children. The story could arguably come across in a more flimsy and silly way in the modern-day. Unfortunately, that’s just what happened in 1995.

John Carpenter, talented director, had already had huge success with his slasher ‘Halloween.’ Still, he failed to meet the mark when it came to a new version of ‘Village of the Damned.’ The original was highly praised for being full of suspense, while the remake was criticized for lacking any real tension and having a rather disjointed storyline.

Swapping planets in Total Recall didn’t do good things for the 2012 remake

The sci-fi movie ‘Total recall’ had many people on the edge of their seats in 1990. The story follows Douglas Quaid, a construction worker, as he starts to dream about another life on Mars. In the end, he is planted with a chip that enables Douglas to live in virtual reality on the planet. However, the lines quickly become blurred as Douglas has no idea what’s real anymore.

The 2012 ‘Total Recall’ remake could have led to great things. That would be if it were set on Mars, rather than opting for a story on future Earth instead. The action sequences were the only thing that saved the remake for many people, but even they weren’t enough to see the movie succeed.

More people laughed at the remake of The Haunting than felt scared

The 1959 story ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ has inspired many productions over the years. The 1963 horror movie ‘The Haunting’ was no exception as a team of people tries to investigate what’s really going on inside a haunted house. It’s not long before the atmosphere and events make it feel that danger lies in every shadow throughout the house.

The 1999 remake of the movie promised a lot as it was supposed to be more than just another film about a haunted house. The script was altered but still stuck to the original story. The problem was that more people in the audience found themselves laughing at the supposed horror than hiding behind the couch – not the best review.

Trying to recreate the feel of Fame left many fans disappointed

A good musical can earn a forever spot in Hollywood if it has everything it needs to succeed. That was the case for ‘Fame.’ The film came out in 1980 and told the tales of various students as they studied at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts. The students quickly face plenty of obstacles as they all try to bring their dream careers to life.

Even though there were the foundations of a great story, the 2009 ‘Fame’ remake failed to create the same atmosphere. Many critics blamed the polished and slick storyline that felt more at home as an after-school special than a Hollywood hit. While the musicals ‘High School Musical’ and ‘Glee’ had something special, ‘Fame’ never hit the same mark.

Bringing Mr. Deeds back to life in 2002 wasn’t Adam Sandler’s finest role

Adam Sandler has made a handful of great movies throughout his career. Sadly for the actor, he has also starred in several questionable productions. History repeated itself in 2002 as the actor took the lead role in the rom-com ‘Mr. Deeds.’ The original, titled ‘Mr. Deeds Goes To Town,’ was released in 1936. Director Frank Capra told the tale of Deeds throughout the Great Depression.

He struggles to hold several small jobs until he meets and falls for the unexpected woman of his dreams. Although the 2002 remake followed most of the original story, it also included bland characters and grating jokes that left many wondering what Capra would think about the attempt. Critic Moira Macdonald even called it “nothing more than a money maker.”

Guy Ritchie cast Madonna as the lead in the disappointing remake of Swept Away

Even casting Adriano Giannini, the son of the original lead, and Madonna as the starring roles in the 2002 remake of the adventure comedy romance ‘Swept Away’ wasn’t enough to save this film. The original Italian movie hit the big screen in 1974 and followed wealthy Raffaela as she got stranded on a desert island with a member of the crew from her yacht, Gennarino.

Although the pair don’t expect to get along, they end up falling in love during their time on the island. Sometimes, trying to remake a foreign film can lose some of the story along the way – something the remake of ‘Swept Away’ learned. The characters have little chemistry, making it hard for people to fall for the leads in the same way.

Many fans were upset with the Ghostbusters remake before it was released

Things were never going to be easy for supernatural comedy ‘Ghostbusters’ when it was announced it would hit the big screen in 2016. The 1984 original became a cult classic as many turn to the movie at all times of the year. What went so wrong for the remake? Most people wanted to see the original left alone.

That fact, teamed with some toxic corners of the internet, saw the film get a lot of hate before a trailer even hit the air. In the end, the whopping budget and lengthy runtime did nothing but make matters worse. 2016’s ‘Ghostbusters’ never recreated the same magic. That hasn’t stopped the all-female cast from powering forward as they hope to release the next installment in 2021.

The 2009 remake of The Stepfather was a little too predictable for many

Slashers have taken horrors and turned them on their heads. The 1987 release of ‘The Stepfather’ was another that put its own mark on the genre as it combined minor comedy moments with a crime thriller and horror to make a film unlike any other. The story follows a man who ends his family’s lives before changing his identity and marrying into another to repeat the process.

Thankfully, the varying story drew in audiences from all kinds of genres. That was until the 2009 remake showed how a slasher film shouldn’t be done. Critics pointed out several distracting plot holes and a predictable series of events that leads to the almost too perfect ending. Some films are best left in the past.

The first Ben-Hur remake was a success, a far cry from the 2016 release

Believe it or not, but the 1959 release of the historical drama ‘Ben-Hur’ was already a remake. That’s right; the original was a silent movie that hit the big screen in 1925. However, the 11 Academy Awards were enough to see the 1959 release take the top spot. The drama. The romance. The action. Did we mention the famous chariot race?

The original had it all – and most people never felt they needed a remake. The 2016 release could have created something special thanks to the new special effects, but it quickly fell flat on its face. 2016’s ‘Ben-Hur’ used questionable CGI and choppy editing that took away from the few exciting action scenes that were littered throughout the movie.

Changing the era of Rollerball lost the meaning of the original movie

In 1975, ‘Rollerball’ did something different as it brought sci-fi and sports movies together in a way that had never been seen before. The film was set in the future and focused on the best player in the game: Jonathan. That is until the ones in charge decide to change the rules to force Jonathan out of the sport – and will even end his life to see him go.

The original was a social commentary on what life could be like in the future, something the 2002 remake failed to address. Most of this was thanks to the fact that the disappointing remake was set in the present and focused more on action scenes throughout the movie rather than telling any story.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Conan the Barbarian was better received than Jason Momoa’s

Action movies dominated the 1980s, with ‘Conan the Barbarian’ being one of the many on the list. The movie paved the way for a successful career for then relatively unknown Arnold Schwarzenegger as he took the leading role in his breakout film. Perhaps it’s no wonder Hollywood wanted to remake the movie in 2011?

Unfortunately, nostalgia wasn’t enough to draw people back in as Jason Mamoa took the starring role. The remake was far more violent and stuck closer to the original source material. Still, fans and critics were quick to point out flaws in the one-dimensional characters and 3D special effects. In the end, Arnie’s movie was far more favorable, and Mamoa was left to find popularity as Aquaman.

The 1998 remake of Psycho copied the original film scene for scene

There are classic movies, and then there’s the horror ‘Psycho.’ The film is thought to be one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best productions as the character Norman Bates left a lasting impression on audiences around the world. The shower scene is still one of the most recognized scenes to have come out of Hollywood, even for people who have never seen the film.

Many people wondered why they even tried to make a ‘Psycho’ remake in the first place, let alone why they decided to remake the thing scene for scene. Watching the 1998 remake was just like watching the original – without any of the charm and suspense. The remake was handed Worst Director and Remake and left a crew with their tails between their legs.

The Invasion was the first remake in the franchise to flop

You know you’re onto a good film when it spawns several successful remakes. The sci-fi horror ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ did just that in 1956. The film followed alien spores that turned into almost-humans and paved the way for 1978’s successful remake and 1993’s ‘Body Snatchers.’ Things were going almost too well as the success came crashing down in 2007.

This time, the movie was titled ‘The Invasion’ and took a very different turn. A lot of the horror was gone as the story was more politically driven than before. Critics were quick to talk about the narrative and lost themes of the movie as it became the first flop in the franchise. Even Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig couldn’t save this one.

The American remake of Pulse lost all the charm of the original

There is something about Japanese horror movies that is usually enough to give many of us the spooks. The original ‘Kairo’ was a huge hit as spirits find their way through the internet into our world. Here, they cause pretty horrifying and strange events as the movie follows two parallel narratives that show how the characters deal with paranormal visitors.

‘Pulse’ came along in 2006 as Hollywood tried to remake the original for an American audience. The remake scrapped the parallel narrative idea but still told the story of spirits walking the Earth thanks to the internet. Taking away one of the movie’s main points meant the original charm was gone and had been replaced by plenty of grotesque scenes instead.

The 2010 release of The Wolfman lacked suspense and a solid storyline

In 1941, the world got to see ‘The Wolfman’ brought to life. The horror story focused on Lawrence Talbot, who gets turned into a monster against his will. The entire story comes to an end when Lawrence’s father takes his life in a movie filled with both substance and style – something many films fail to achieve.

The 2010 remake of ‘The Wolfman’ was highly praised for its make-up effects and even walked away with some Academy Awards. That didn’t stop people from criticizing the shoehorned twist that saw Lawrence and his father – also now a werewolf – go head to head and the lack of any suspense throughout the movie. Even the former-president of Universal Studios named it “one of the worst movies” they ever made.

The 2017 remake of The Mummy made people forget about the movie’s success in 1999

There have been plenty of horror characters that have returned time and time again. Zombies, werewolves, vampires – they’ve all seen their fair share of time on the big screen. The 1932 release of the horror ‘The Mummy’ was one that brought mummies to life and instantly caused the character to become one of the most iconic of the 20th-century.

That was until the Marvel Cinematic Universe got its hands on the film. Marvel wanted to create a Dark Universe that saw classic horror characters join forces for the first time. Sadly, the film was rushed, and the storyline was altered to focus more on Tom Cruise than the Mummy herself, resulting in a less than favorable remake that hit our screens in 2017.

2004’s Around the World in 80 Days was nominated for Razzies and Stinkers awards

The epic adventure movie ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ was so popular that it walked away with no less than five Academy Awards at the end of the season. The story follows Phileas Fogg as he hopes to prove to everyone that he can make it around the world in, well, 80 days. The original novel was released in 1873 and first made it to the big screen in 1956.

Although there was worry the tale would be dated, they decided to give things another go in 2004. Sadly, the only awards this version was up for was the Most Unwelcome Remake and Worst Remake. Forgetting the original story certainly didn’t help bring this one loved movie back to life.

The Heartbreak Kid lost its original charm in the 2007 remake

Romantic comedies often follow the same pattern. However, the 1972 release of ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ did something a little different. The film follows the lives of husband and wife Lenny and Lila. The problem? Lila is too clingy, and Lenny cares more about himself than anything else. The couple head on their honeymoon, where Lenny meets and falls for college student Kelly.

The entire story culminates with Lenny and Kelly on their wedding day, where Lenny realizes how wrong things have gone – and it ends on a pretty dark note. In 2007, Ben Stiller tried to bring the character back to life once again. However, the film failed to push the boundaries and instead made characters lacking sympathy and falling short with audiences.