The sooner these movies get remade the better. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Worst Movies That Deserve a Remake
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00:00Funny, funny, he's our man and he can't kill him no one can.
00:03Gay, funny, after the peak of the age of war.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down
00:10our picks for the top 20 worst movies that deserve a remake.
00:22Number 20.
00:23The Giver
00:24This 2014 adaptation of Lois Lowry's 1993 dystopian novel
00:29made its money back, but failed to deliver critically for some fans of the source material.
00:34I apologize.
00:36Although not as dusty as some of the other films on this list,
00:39the themes of emotion and responsibility could certainly merit another take on The Giver,
00:44ideally one that fixes these issues.
00:47The source material was aimed at young adults, and this could still be the focus,
00:52but delving deeper into character and plot with less attention placed on visual style
00:56could do wonders in getting the message of The Giver to audiences of all ages.
01:02He was asked if he was strong enough. It turns out he was not.
01:06Number 19.
01:08The Shadow
01:09Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
01:11The Shadow knows.
01:12Unfortunately, he didn't know his movie was a dud.
01:15You're right. You're right.
01:18Directed by Russell Mulcahy, who is known for the slick
01:21music video style of films such as Highlander,
01:24the results as seen in this movie are actually quite fun.
01:28If your head comes away from your neck, it's over.
01:31The film's side of the Shadow franchise could benefit from some modern touch-ups, however,
01:36while perhaps scaling down a bit of the original's reliance on style.
01:40But you said he was only a rumor.
01:42I'm sick of the shadow business.
01:44Keeping the noir mood and tone would be a good move,
01:47but grounding the Shadow somewhat in the reality of, let's say, Batman,
01:51could actually do wonders for this franchise to live again on the big screen.
01:56Number 18.
01:58Silent Hill
01:59Fans have been frightened of the Silent Hill video game franchise
02:03ever since it debuted back in 1999.
02:06Cinematic adaptations of this survival horror classic have been less than well-received, however.
02:11What's happening?
02:13Which is a shame, given the source material's frightening reputation.
02:17How could this be remedied?
02:21Well, maybe looking back to some classic horror ideas could work.
02:25Using practical effects, tense storytelling, and moody camera work could give the world
02:30of Silent Hill the audience and critical reception it deserves.
02:34The video games did a superb job of immersing the player in this atmospheric, temperamental
02:40universe, and it would be great if a new Silent Hill movie could do the same.
02:44Look at me.
02:47I'm burning.
02:49Number 17.
02:50The Lone Ranger
02:52Disney had high hopes for The Lone Ranger, and spent over $150 million in marketing to
02:58push a film that already ran them a bill of at least $225 million.
03:02Can we jump?
03:05What about the passengers?
03:07They jumped.
03:08And then the film only grossed a total of $260 million worldwide.
03:13Is it possible for The Lone Ranger to ride again?
03:16But he's the Lone Ranger.
03:18Well, creating a better balance between the Ranger and his companion Tonto would be great
03:22for starters, as Johnny Depp's performance as the, quote,
03:26American Indian distracted from the comparatively dull Army Hammer.
03:30My name come up?
03:31Casting aside, making The Lone Ranger a more direct story, as opposed to a bloated blockbuster,
03:37could also make great strides in ensuring the sun doesn't set on this iconic Western hero.
03:48Number 16.
03:50Max Payne
03:51Video game adaptations are always a dicey proposition when it comes to the world of cinema.
04:02Yet 2008's Max Payne was actually a financial success,
04:07despite a wealth of negative reviews.
04:09A gritty modern update could bring the best of both worlds to the table, however,
04:14giving us a Max Payne film that could please casual audiences and fans alike.
04:19Limiting the excessive camera effects of the original Max Payne,
04:22and paying more attention to character development
04:25alongside all of the expected action couldn't hurt either.
04:30Number 15.
04:32Street Fighter
04:33I know you like to look at yourself on television, you sick son of a bitch.
04:37So look at this.
04:39Although the term bad movie is naturally all up to perception,
04:43Street Fighter possesses the distinction of being one of the most enjoyably bonkers
04:47movies to ever hit cinemas.
04:49You're joking.
04:49Still, this classic beat-em-up video game series is arguably the most popular and influential of its
04:55kind, so why not give it another shot?
04:58Gamers have grown up with characters such as Ken, Ryu, and Chun-Li,
05:02and there's enough backstory to this universe that a relatively serious,
05:06respectful adaptation could totally be achieved.
05:09This would be quite a change from the live-action film's campy tone,
05:13and one which Street Fighter fans would likely welcome with open arms.
05:18That's exactly what I wanted you to think.
05:23Number 14.
05:24Green Lantern
05:26Well, thank you.
05:27This has been really fun.
05:28I know, I made a lot of mistakes.
05:29Look, Hal, I'm not mad at you.
05:31Good luck finding anyone who actually liked this movie.
05:35A meandering and dull story brought down even more by bad writing and campy CGI,
05:40not even leading man Ryan Reynolds could salvage this train wreck.
05:45Brightest day and blackest night.
05:50No evil shall escape my sight.
05:52Guardians of the Galaxy successfully brought the Marvel Cinematic Universe to space,
05:57so now is a perfect time for DC's galactic cop to do the same for the Justice League.
06:02As long as they learn from their mistakes,
06:05keep this super suit green, but not animated,
06:08and maybe, just maybe, we can all let Reynolds forget about this 2011 embarrassment.
06:13Mark Strong is in this thing too?
06:15Wow, what went wrong?
06:17While you assess innocent lives will be lost,
06:21let me take the fight to this new enemy.
06:23There is much of which you are not aware, Sinestro.
06:26Number 13.
06:28The Green Hornet.
06:29This adaptation of the classic 1930s radio hero was actually a financial success back
06:35when it was released in 2011, bringing in approximately $227 million on a $120 million budget.
06:43Still, the film wasn't given much love,
06:45and fans haven't exactly been clamoring for a sequel, so perhaps a remake is in order.
06:50Trying doesn't matter when you always fail.
06:53Given that the Green Hornet is a very old-school superhero, updating the mythology is key.
06:58The 2011 version did achieve this in a way,
07:02but many moviegoers just didn't see Seth Rogen as the superhero type,
07:06so perhaps some recasting will also pave the way for a
07:09solid Green Hornet adaptation to hit the screen.
07:12Okay, now we can end this.
07:15Number 12.
07:16The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy.
07:18There's a huge debate as to the quality of the Star Wars prequels.
07:22Please don't look at me like that.
07:24On one hand, there's a ton of great moments in all three films that give them great merit.
07:28Then again, there's also some cringeworthy dialogue and a mishandled love story.
07:33Not like here.
07:36Here everything is soft and smooth.
07:41Not to mention an excessive amount of dated CGI effects.
07:45Tell a simple and direct story about Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side,
07:49bring back the creature effects and realistic lightsaber duels,
07:52and you might have a recipe for remake success.
08:00Number 11.
08:02Sphere.
08:03Michael Crichton's novels spawn from truly creative ideas
08:07and are laden with fascinating concepts,
08:09so it's a shame that there hasn't been a truly great adaptation of his book since Jurassic Park.
08:15It's... it's a dinosaur.
08:18We'd love to see his visions for Timeline or Congo get another at-bat in the movie world,
08:23but it's Sphere that most deserves a second chance.
08:26After the discovery of a mysterious spacecraft on the Pacific Ocean floor,
08:30an expedition of scientists investigates.
08:33So you're saying the spacecraft crashed in the year...
08:371709.
08:38So you're saying the spacecraft crashed 300 years ago?
08:41288.
08:42They discover, among other things, the titular Sphere,
08:46and its enigmatic contents come with some dangerous psychological implications.
08:50But the 98 film never tapped into the story's full potential,
08:54and the result was a sluggish bore.
08:56Reimagined amongst modern AI and technological conversations,
09:01Sphere could be a winner for the new millennium.
09:03No, no, no, that's all right.
09:05No, Jerry, Jerry, very important.
09:08Nothing more right now, please, okay?
09:10Jerry, you have to stop.
09:12Number 10.
09:13Eragon.
09:14Better to ask forgiveness than permission.
09:18The first entry in the Inheritance Cycle fantasy novel series was self-published
09:23by the still-teenaged author Christopher Paolini and his family back in 2002.
09:29Did someone mention flying?
09:33Are you ready to try again, dragon rider?
09:37It quickly gained an ardent fanbase,
09:39and received the big-budget movie treatment only a few years later,
09:43to a balanced sentiment of both excitement and skepticism.
09:48Come, taste the blood of your dragon!
09:51Let's finish this!
09:53Although the author himself approved of the translation,
09:56critics were not so forgiving,
09:58with many accusing the film's story of being too derivative
10:01of the Star Wars and the Lord of the Rings franchises,
10:04while also remarking on the inexperience of the first-time director, Stephen Fangmeier.
10:09Without fear, there cannot be courage.
10:12But when we are together, it is our enemies who should be afraid.
10:17We're hoping another stab at an adaptation
10:20would be able to highlight what fans had loved about it in the first place.
10:25I'm sorry, that's all there is.
10:28Number 9.
10:29Catwoman.
10:34Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, is a great character.
10:38Yet no one has quite been able to present the smart,
10:41sexy, and dangerous burglar properly on the big screen.
10:45Well, not since Tim Burton.
10:47Meow.
10:52Case in point, this 2004 bomb,
10:55which by all accounts has to be one of the worst comic book adaptations ever filmed.
11:00Game over.
11:02Guess what?
11:05It's overtime.
11:06Halle Berry stars as Patience Phillips,
11:09a new incarnation of the anti-heroine,
11:11in what is essentially another origin story.
11:14You died, but you were reborn.
11:18Oh, you're crazy.
11:19You are a crazy cat lady.
11:22Unfortunately, a daft script, exaggerated performances,
11:25and some of the most cringe-worthy CGI imaginable
11:29make this cat's claws utterly harmless.
11:32But hey, at least cats have nine lives,
11:34and that means they have at least a few more chances to revamp this feline femme fatale.
11:40You're just a scared little girl playing dress-up.
11:46Number 8.
11:47Alexander.
11:48Conquer your fear.
11:51And I promise you, you'll conquer death.
11:53Granted, director Oliver Stone may have already inundated the market
11:57with his disappointing 2004 historical drama,
12:00but we say that there's still a demand out there
12:02for the story of Alexander the Great to be told, and told well.
12:06A king isn't born, Alexander.
12:09He's made by steel and by suffering.
12:12Sure, Colin Farrell may not have completely convinced in the title role,
12:16but Stone's film wasn't entirely without merit,
12:19telling an epic tale during an era when films like Gladiator and Troy
12:23were still fresh in people's minds.
12:25Maybe instead of yet another re-edit of the Oliver Stone version, though,
12:29some other up-and-coming director could add a fresh spin
12:32to the story of this intriguing, iconic world conqueror.
12:36Never will there be an Alexander like you, Alexander the Great.
12:41Number 7.
12:43Jonah Hex.
12:44I have coffins.
12:49Sure you don't need eight?
12:51Cut him down!
12:53Comic book cowboys don't get much better than Jonah Hex.
12:56Considered an A-list DC antihero with a powerful fanbase,
13:00the craggy-faced but cool vagabond has a story that's ripe for a great action flick.
13:05You don't look so tough.
13:09It's tough to me.
13:10Coupled with a superb cast and Josh Brolin's charisma,
13:14this movie should have been a winner.
13:16Unfortunately, it was messy, unloved by critics,
13:19and unable to seamlessly convey the world of the comics.
13:22But Jonah's story comes with plenty of chapters.
13:25From his Civil War days, to his time as a bounty hunter,
13:28to his heartbreaking friendship with another literal lone wolf.
13:31He even teams up with the Justice League at one point.
13:34Jonah Hex is a complicated and enthralling character who deserves a good movie,
13:38or at least a justified DCEU cameo.
13:41Still got that derringer in your bustle?
13:44No, I took it.
13:45What about that knife in your garter?
13:46Took it.
13:47What about that?
13:48Took it all, Jonah.
13:50Well, they searched you for it darn good, didn't they?
13:52Number 6.
13:53Pearl Harbor.
13:54There's nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer, Jack.
13:58Michael Bay drew critical ire when he decided to adapt the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
14:04into a romantic dramatization starring Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, and Josh Hartnett.
14:10I think World War II can see us!
14:12Many cried foul at the film's historical inaccuracies and love triangle subplot,
14:17while others focused on Bay's penchant for relentless explosions.
14:22Eat the dead!
14:27Pearl Harbor did reap significant financial rewards at the box office, however,
14:32and we think the story could still be done justice if placed in the hands of someone
14:35capable of balancing both action and storytelling in the proper ratio.
14:40Not anxious to die, sir.
14:42Just anxious to matter.
14:46Number 5.
14:47The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
14:50What are you?
14:52I'm complicated.
14:55Based on the celebrated comic book series,
14:57this was another case of Hollywood not properly following the source material,
15:01preferring instead to create a straightforward, big-budget action film
15:05following Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's tale of fantastic fictional characters from history.
15:11They're indestructible!
15:12No, just armor-plated.
15:14Truth be told, the film works fine in that respect,
15:17but fans and critics alike still balked at The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,
15:22and plans for a franchise quickly fizzled out.
15:252015 first unearthed rumors of a reboot, however,
15:28so the time may yet still come for Alan Quartermain, Dr. Jekyll,
15:32Tom Sawyer, and Captain Nemo to rebuild their league on the big or small screen.
15:38Draw your pistol!
15:40I walk a different path.
15:47Number 4
15:48Masters of the Universe
15:50Justice for He-Man
15:52While the cast of Masters of the Universe,
15:54particularly Frank Langella as Skeletor,
15:57did the best they could with what they were given,
15:59the film was a critical flop.
16:00Yes, I feel it.
16:06The power fills me.
16:08When you're adapting such a beloved franchise,
16:11you've got to give extra special care to the details,
16:13which the 1987 movie did not.
16:16Instead, it was seen as a ripoff of superior action fantasy films
16:20such as Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian.
16:22A remake was in the works at Netflix,
16:24but between the entertainment strikes of 2023 and some failed negotiations,
16:29sadly the new film ended before it could begin.
16:31Hopefully, whatever work was done could be salvaged,
16:34and we'll finally get the Masters of the Universe masterpiece we've been waiting for.
16:40I have the power!
16:44Number 3
16:45Ghost Rider
16:46As hard as it is to admit,
16:48there are some things that even Nicolas Cage can't save.
17:01Although Ghost Rider did good business,
17:03it was torn apart by both critics and fans of the Marvel character.
17:06Many agreed the over-the-top dialogue and the campy tone
17:10were unworthy of a character known for his rugged demeanor and twisted storylines.
17:17Look into my eyes!
17:20The brass over at Marvel must have taken the hint,
17:22as filmgoers haven't seen much of Johnny Blaze since the film's 2012 sequel.
17:27The Robbie Reyes version of the character has since appeared in ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,
17:31but will gladly sell our souls to give the OG a second chance on the big screen.
17:36Can someone get Keanu Reeves on the phone?
17:38How does it feel to have all that evil inside of you?
17:41All their power?
17:44All their souls!
17:46Number 2
17:48Spawn
17:52The late 90s didn't exactly foster the same comic-friendly cinema climate we enjoy today.
17:59Michael Jai White stars as creator Todd McFarlane's betrayed military man,
18:04who sells his soul to the devil in order to return to the woman he loves,
18:08only to find out that she's remarried his best friend in the five years since his death.
18:17It's the only way you can be free.
18:19We think that a character with such a tragic backstory needs to make a serious comeback,
18:24not to mention the fact that Spawn himself is practically the definition of badass,
18:28as he fights demons and devils for his very soul.
18:31Make this one happen, Hollywood, and do it right!
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19:00Number 1
19:00The Golden Compass
19:04Coming out in the wake of The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and the Lord of the Rings
19:12franchises, The Golden Compass has been described as one of the most disappointing adaptations ever.
19:18Shying away from Philip Pullman's source material, it was criticized for blunting the anti-Catholic
19:23sentiment within the film, while religious organizations complained about how said theme
19:28stemmed from the source material.
19:30Prove to me that you are a demon.
19:34Ask me something only you know.
19:39How did I become king?
19:42However, with several years having gone by since his release, perhaps it'll soon be the
19:46right time to re-evaluate once again and attempt to bring Pullman's tale to life.
19:52Mrs. Calder, what's that?
19:56That is the Magisterial Seed, Lyra.
19:59Are there any movies that you think desperately deserve a remake?
20:02Let us know in the comments.
20:04I'd like to remake the movie Kazam with Shaquille O'Neal,
20:06where he plays a genie, and I'd like to get it right.
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