Top 20 Worst Changes in Movie Remakes

“Beauty and the Beast” (2017) Gaston is a misogynistic brute bent on winning the heart of Belle. To do so, he misguidedly threatens to have her father Maurice imprisoned. His plan is to use Maurice’s claims of the Beast against him, have him thrown in the local asylum, and then have him released should Belle agree to marriage. It’s a twisted plan, but at least it’s not murder. Well, it is in the 2017 remake. Almost. In this version, Gaston agrees to tag along with Maurice, hoping that he will earn his approval for Belle. But Maurice refuses, so Gaston ties him up and leaves him to be eaten by wolves. This completely ruins Gaston’s characterization and makes him far more of a one-dimensional, and ultimately less interesting, villain.

#19: The Removal of Social Commentary

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“Rollerball” (2002) Starring Chris Klein and LL Cool J, “Rollerball” is an action movie about a violent fictional sport and the people who play it. Pretty much everybody hated it. It was trashed by critics for its overreliance on choppy action, and author William Harrison, who wrote the original short story, claimed that he had no interest in seeing it. That’s probably because it butchered his original intention. Harrison wrote the screenplay for the 1975 original, which contains biting social commentary about corporations, censorship, and individualism. The 2002 remake completely does away with these themes, being little more than a loud and hectic action movie without anything substantial to say.

#18: Michael’s Characterization

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“Halloween” (2007) What makes the original “Halloween” work so well is the elusive and seemingly supernatural nature of Michael Myers. Michael is never really explained and remains an enigma throughout the film. There is little information about his background, he has zero personality whatsoever, and he doesn’t have much of a motive - he just wants to kill people. He’s the very embodiment of evil. And then there’s Rob Zombie’s remake, which delves far too deep into Michael’s motive and characterization. It also establishes that Laurie is Michael’s sister, which has always been a contentious plot point that some don’t consider canon - including the makers of the 2018 sequel-boot. We get what Zombie was trying to do here, but it just didn’t work. Like, at all.

“Arthur” (2011) Russell Brand considers “Arthur” one of his biggest failures, and that pretty much says all you need to know. Released in 2011, “Arthur” is a very annoying movie about a very annoying man. Arthur Bach a giant manchild with a snarky personality and misanthropic beliefs. He hates everyone, unafraid to both insult and laugh at them. It doesn’t exactly make for a good time at the movies, you know? Dudley Moore gave audiences a far more lovable Arthur in the 1981 original. He was kinder and more playful, and people liked him despite his flaws. There’s a tricky balancing act in making movies with unlikable protagonists, and the misguided remake fell right off the beam.

#16: Freddy’s Face

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“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (2010) Let’s be honest - they should have never remade “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Freddy Krueger is one of the most iconic villains in movie history, played brilliantly by Robert Englund and sporting a terribly-burned face that is literally the stuff of nightmares. The makeup by David B. Miller is legendary and makes Englund nearly unrecognizable. And then there’s his utterly forgettable appearance in the 2010 remake. Freddy’s face is a combination of practical makeup and CGI, but neither is of particular interest. The makeup is too realistic and bland to be scary, and the CGI is horribly distracting. At least they tried something new, but there’s just no beating the classics.

“Clash of the Titans” (2010) This entry isn’t about a change from original to remake, but something that the remake did prior to release. 3D has been around for a long time, but there was a real boom in the early 2010s thanks to the success of “Avatar.” Unfortunately, this wreaked havoc on certain movies that were never meant to be in 3D. “Clash of the Titans” was filmed in 2D but converted to 3D to capitalize on the new money-making trend. Director Louis Leterrier later told The Huffington Post that the conversion was “just a gimmick to steal money from the audience.” The results were abhorrent, and it resulted in the unique Razzie nomination for Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3D.

“The Italian Job” (2003) The original “Italian Job” is a classic of the caper genre. Its climactic car chase is undeniably one of the best in the game, it speaks intelligently on ‘60s British culture, and Michael Caine’s turn as Charlie Croker is endlessly enjoyable. But, like “Rollerball,” the 2003 remake does away with most of the original’s personality. While certainly not a bad film, the remake’s story was an illogical mess and none of the characters left a legacy. It also lacked the original’s uniquely British charm, offering a blockbuster experience that was far slicker and more bombastic. But hey, at least the Mini Coopers were still stylish!

“Pulse” (2006) There have been some bad J-horror remakes throughout the years, and “Pulse” is certainly one of them. Directed by J-horror master Kiyoshi Kurosawa, “Kairo” is a unique and often very scary examination of technology and its many social dangers. We say “examination” because “Kairo” is more of a dramatic thriller than a horror movie, with emphasis placed on theme and character. It’s definitely scary, but like all great horror films, the scares support the story and what it's attempting to say. The American remake ignored all that. It was a painfully cliched piece of horror that ditched the substance of the original and grossly exaggerated the scares while also making them worse. “Kairo” is a classic, while “Pulse” was instantly forgotten.

#12: Change to Campy Comedy

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“The Stepford Wives” (2004) The original film, released in 1975, has become a cult classic over the years thanks to its satirical concept and combination of the science fiction and horror genres. Essentially, the housewives of Stepford have been replaced by robots that happily go about their chores to please their husbands. The remake, however, changes the film’s genre into campy comedy. The original film works as a commentary on the male desire for subservient women, which is completely undermined in the remake because of the genre change. Remarkably, the remake even makes one of the female characters the main antagonist.

“Swept Away” (2002) On the surface, 1974’s “Swept Away” may look like a rom-com about a man and a woman that end up stranded on a deserted island. However, there is an underlying theme about the conflict between capitalism and communism, and acts as a commentary on class and status in society. Guy Ritchie’s modern remake, however, lacks this political subtext. Madonna, who plays the leading female character, was particularly criticized for her acting. What’s left is simply a cheesy melodrama that earned a paltry 5% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Pinocchio” (2022) The lack of facial expressions in “The Lion King” hit us hard. But then there’s the whole of “Pinocchio,” which was just offensively bad. We have no idea what happened here. It was helmed by the Oscar-winning Robert Zemeckis and starred everybody’s favorite actor dad, Tom Hanks. Yet the movie itself was the definition of soulless, the very embodiment of the critique that these live-action films have no heart behind them. It was inferior in virtually every way to the 1940 classic. Things it didn’t change were made worse, and the things it introduced - like the forgettable new songs and the deeper background for Gepetto - were all better left unused.

#9: Changing His Appearance

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“Godzilla” (1998) The original “Godzilla,” released in 1954, acts as a metaphor for nuclear weapons, a particularly relevant theme in Japan following World War II. The 1998 remake, set in New York City, not only lacks this important symbolism, but also completely changed the look of the character. Perhaps attempting to build on the success of “Jurassic Park,” Godzilla was changed into more of a giant reptile. Everything was changed, from its color scheme, to its size, to its walking style. The change was received poorly, particularly in Japan, where the creature was later dubbed GINO, or Godzilla In Name Only.

#8: Making It an Action Movie

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“Ben-Hur” (2016) We won’t question the decision to remake “Ben-Hur.” Sure, the 1959 film won a record 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but that was over 50 years ago, so it isn’t necessarily a terrible idea to give it an update. What is a terrible idea, however, is to change the film into a senseless, generic action flick. The modern version relies way too much on CGI, with several reviewers criticizing the film’s editing. Despite having a bigger budget than the 1959 film by nearly $85 million, the 2016 version actually earned $50 million less at the box office! Now that’s a biblical failure.

“Oldboy” (2013) Released in 2003, “Oldboy” is a brutal thriller out of South Korea. It follows Oh Dae-su, a man who uncovers a horrific truth about his daughter. This same truth is revealed in the American remake, but the reaction is different. In the original, Dae-su considers getting his memory erased so he can happily live in ignorance, but it’s unclear if he went through with it or not. But, judging by his face, probably not. The remake does away with this ambiguity and has Joe simply write to Marie, telling her that they can no longer be together. It’s far less interesting and doesn’t raise any meaningful questions. By being so cut and dry, the remake misses out on the original’s enduring power.

“I Am Legend” (2007) Although “I Am Legend” is an adaptation of the novel of the same name, it can also be considered a remake of “The Last Man on Earth” and “The Omega Man” - especially the latter. Ironically, although it is the only film to share the name of the source material, it is also the only film to completely ignore the meaning of the name. In the novel, and in the first two adaptations, the main character discovers that he has become a legend among those infected by the vampire/zombie plague, similar to how these creatures were previously legends among humans. The modern film, although commercially and critically successful, is more of a straight zombie flick without the connection to the title.

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005) Willy Wonka is one of the most eccentric characters in all of literature, which was captured perfectly by Gene Wilder back in 1971, earning him a Golden Globe nomination. Johnny Depp’s later portrayal of the Wonka Candy Company owner, however, was received much less warmly. While Depp certainly puts his own spin on the character, many critics found his performance to be just plain weird, seeming more like Michael Jackson than Willy Wonka. When asked, although showing respect for Depp as an actor, Wilder said that he found the performance and the film as a whole to be an insult.

“The Karate Kid” (2010) Back in 1984, the story of a teenage underdog standing up to a group of bullies and beating them in a karate tournament became a cult classic. The remake has an almost identical plot, although karate has notably been switched out with kung fu. While the remake is still an effective drama with impressive fight choreography, there is one lingering question: why would a film entitled “The Karate Kid” revolve around kung fu? The change in martial art was so drastic that the film is actually called “The Kung Fu Dream” in China, while in Japan and Korea it is referred to as “Best Kid.” Given the false advertising, the US title should’ve been changed too.

#3: Ape-raham Lincoln

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“Planet of the Apes” (2001) The ending of the original “Planet of the Apes” is one of the most iconic of all time, as Charlton Heston realizes that the alien planet he is on is actually Earth following a nuclear war. Tim Burton and company attempted to create their own iconic twist ending, but instead gave us one of the worst in early 21st century memory. Mark Wahlberg returns to Earth, only to discover that the apes have already beaten him there... or something. Wahlberg discovers that the Lincoln Memorial has been replaced by a monument to General Thade, and he is quickly swarmed by a police force of apes, neither of which makes any sense.

#2: They Don’t Go to Mars

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“Total Recall” (2012) Some things are better left untouched. Released in 1990, “Total Recall” is still an immensely popular film and features Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. So the decision to remake the film just 22 years later was a bit surprising to say the least. Even more surprising is the decision to change the setting of Mars to Australia, which the characters travel to via a gravity elevator running through the Earth’s core. We get that the remake was going for a more quote unquote serious tone, but a trip Down Under isn’t nearly as much fun as a voyage to the Red Planet. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.

“Psycho” (1998) Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” is one of the most celebrated films in history and gave birth to the modern day slasher genre while also making us terrified of our showers. Gus Van Sant decided to remake the film in 1998, but instead of updating the plot, he gave us a nearly a shot-for-shot remake. One bizarre addition, however, is having Norman Bates, played by Vince Vaughn, masturbate during the infamous peephole scene. Seriously, of all the things Van Sant could’ve changed, why did he think this was necessary? It’s not surprising that the film was a commercial and critical disaster, with critics calling it completely pointless.