30 Movie Remakes That Rival The Originals

“Hollywood is all sequels, reboots and remakes! There are no new ideas.” While that statement certainly isn’t true, sometimes it feels that way. It is true that Hollywood loves rehashing old ideas. However, that doesn’t mean all remakes are bad. Movie remakes are nothing new and come from film industries worldwide. While horror, sci-fi and comedy genres are a bit overrepresented when it comes to remakes, great remakes can come from any genre, including drama and action. Many classic films are remakes or have been remade themselves. There is no one kind of movie remake. However, all the best movie remakes add something to the original. The very best can even improve on their source material; yes, some remakes really are better than the original.

Movie Remakes That Rival The Originals

Not every film on the list is better than the original. However, every remake on this list is well worth watching. There are a couple of types of remakes. Often, directors choose to remake older films for a new audience (often decades after the original) or films from other countries in a new language (which are usually made shortly after the original).

Sometimes remakes are confused with reboots or adaptations (and sometimes even sequels). Reboots take existing IP and tell an original story with it. Adaptations are often harder to differentiate from remakes. An adaptation uses non-cinematic source materials to make a film. Usually, adapted films are based on plays or books. Many source materials have seen multiple adaptations. For example, the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott has been made into several films, including notable 1949, 1994 and 2019 versions. While they are based on the same source, the 2019 version isn’t a remake of the 1994 version or even of the first cinematic version of the novel, which was made in 1917 (and has since been lost). This list does its best to avoid both. The remakes on this list are also ranked on two factors: how good the film is generally and how much better it is than the original film.

30. The Mummy (1999)

While The Mummy is technically a remake of the 1932 Universal monster movie of the same name, it feels like a very different film. This works in its favor; The Mummy doesn’t need to beat a horror classic; it can exist as a purely fun adventure film.

The film follows a treasure hunter and a librarian who accidentally awaken an ancient Egyptian high priest from the dead. Directed by Stephen Sommers, it stars Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Jonathan Hyde and Kevin J. O’Connor. While the movie is a favorite to many, it also has a problem with brownface (in this case, casting white actors as Arab characters)—an issue it shares with the 1930s original. Find it here.

29. The Ring (2002)

The Ring is an American remake of the 1998 Japanese horror classic Ring. While it isn’t better than the original, it is a rare horror remake that works just as well. The Ring follows a woman who comes into possession of a cursed VHS tape with the warning “Seven Days.”

Directed by Gore Verbinski, the film Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Daveigh Chase and Brian Cox. It is not a perfect film, but it has become a nostalgic horror classic in its own right. It is available here.

28. True Lies (1994)

True Lies is based on the French 1991 film La Totale! and it’s far better than the original. La Totale! (and by the transitive property, True Lies) was also plagiarized from a 1981 unproduced screenplay by Lucien Lambert called Émilie. True Lies follows a spy and family man whose mission gets complicated when a salesman who claims to be a spy tries to seduce his neglected wife.

Directed by James Cameron, True Lies stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Art Malik, Charlton Heston, Eliza Dushku and Tia Carrere. While parts of this movie do not age well (especially its depiction of Islamic terrorists), it is a charming 1990s action comedy that is better than its source material. It is available here.

27. Scent of a Woman (1992)

Scent of a Woman is a remake of the 1974 Italian film of the same name. Both films are also based on Giovanni Arpino’s 1969 novel Il buio e il miele. While the Italian original is arguably better, the American version features great performances by Al Pacino, Chris O’Donnell, Gabrielle Anwar, James Rebhorn, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Bradley Whitford.

The film follows a blind, retired army Lieutenant and a prep school student who spend Thanksgiving together in New York. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, winning for Best Actor (Pacino’s first and only to date). Find it here.

26. We Are What We Are (2013)

We Are What We Are is the American remake of a 2010 Mexican film of the same name. The film is a slow-burning horror. It follows an isolated family after the death of the mother, and the daughters who must take her place in the ancient rituals that the family practices.

Directed by Jim Mickle, the film stars Bill Sage, Julia Garner, Ambyr Childers and Kelly McGillis. The film moves slowly, which won’t be for everyone, but it creates an eerie mood well, has enough gore for horror fans and has an interesting message about religion. Watch it here.

25. Let Me In (2010)

Let Me In is an American remake of the 2008 Swedish film Let the Right One In. It is not as good as the original film, but as horror remakes go, it is an extremely solid entry into the vampire genre. Directed by Matt Reeves, the film stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloë Grace Moretz, Elias Koteas and Richard Jenkins.

The film follows a bullied middle schooler who develops a relationship with a child vampire in 1980s New Mexico. The remake keeps much of what makes the original great but deviates enough to make both versions well worth watching. It is available on streaming here.

24. Meet the Parents (2000)

Meet the Parents is loosely based on the 1992 low-budget comedy of the same name. However, 1992’s Meet the Parents is a very different movie. It is a super low-budget, indie black comedy that doesn’t share too much with its Hollywood counterpart. While both are solid comedies, the 2000 remake has excellent performances and stakes that really work in its favor.

The film follows a nurse who meets his fiance’s parents only to find out that her father is an ex-CIA operative. Directed by Jay Roach, it stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, James Rebhorn, Jon Abrahams and Owen Wilson. Find it here.

23. Cinderella (2015)

Most of the Disney live-action remakes aren’t good. However, 2015’s Cinderella may be the best exception to the rule. Did the 1950 animated classic need a remake? Probably not. The story of Cinderella has been adapted countless times (great versions that aren’t direct remakes also include 1997’s Rogers & Hammerstien’s Cinderella and 1998’s Ever After). However, the 2015 remake is among the best retellings of the fairy tale.

Cinderella follows the titular orphan as her fairy godmother helps her win the heart of a prince. This version adds more to the love story between Cinderella and the prince. It is also elevated by iconic costuming and great performances. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the film stars Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi and Helena Bonham Carter. Cinderella is available here.

22. Scarface (1983)

“When you get the money, you get the power. Then, when you get the power, then you get the women.” Scarface is pure 1980s excess. It isn’t the best film on this list, but it’s an iconic movie that really eclipses the 1932 Italian gangster film that it is based on. While the Howard Hawks original is worth watching, most modern audiences prefer the tacky opulence of 1980s Miami captured in the remake.

Directed by Brian De Palma, the 1983 version stars Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia and Míriam Colón. The movie follows a Cuban refugee’s rise to the top of the Miami drug trade. Scarface has become a cult classic and is an iconic movie to the rap community. However, the film has been criticized by the Latinx community for its portrayal of Cuban immigrants (especially given that the titular Scarface is played by an Italian actor). It is available to stream here.

21. CODA (2021)

CODA is a remake of the French-Belgian film La Famille Bélier. CODA follows a young girl who is a child of deaf adults and the only hearing member of her family as she balances her dreams of becoming a singer with helping her family’s struggling business. Directed by Sian Heder, CODA notably uses deaf actors to play deaf roles (which really elevates it from the original).

The film stars Emilia Jones, Eugenio Derbez, Troy Kotsur, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant and Marlee Matlin. It won all three Oscars it was nominated for, including Best Picture (becoming the seventh Best Picture winner to do so). Notably, it also became the first film distributed by a streaming service (Apple TV+) to win Best Picture and the first film to premiere at Sundance to win the award. Find it here.

20. Hairspray (2007)

Hairspray is technically based on a Broadway musical; however, that musical is based on the 1988 John Waters Film of the same name. While the 2007 version isn’t necessarily better than the original (and is almost too different for a good comparison), the music really adds something to the narrative. Hairspray follows a plus-sized teen who dreams of getting on a local dance TV show and learns about racial segregation in 1960s Baltimore.

Directed by Adam Shankman, the film stars Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley and Allison Janney. There are several cameos in the film, including Shankman, Harvey Fierstein, Waters and Ricki Lake, the star of the original movie. The makers of the film have an obvious love for its source material and an appreciation of earlier queer cinema. It is available here.

19. The Birdcage (1996)

“Oh God, I pierced the toast!” The Birdcage is a piece of 1990s queer cinema, but it is based on the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles (which is an adaptation of a play by the same name). While the French version is arguably better, the American version is elevated by great performances by Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Directed by Mike Nichols, it also stars Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Hank Azaria, Christine Baranski and Calista Flockhart.

The Birdcage follows a South Beach drag club owner and his long-time partner who have to play it straight when his son comes home with a fiancé from a conservative political family. Parts of the film don’t age well (for example, Azaria plays a gay, Guatemalan maid). However, The Birdcage feels partially like a time capsule in the history of queer parenting and, surprisingly timely, in an era for queer families and conservative baby boomer parents. Maybe, more importantly for the casual viewer, The Bird Cage is immensely funny. The film was groundbreaking as one of the first major studio films to star gay characters. It is available here.

18. The Departed (2006)

Martin Scorsese’s The Departed is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong crime thriller Infernal Affairs. While the American remake is simply not as good as the original, it is a good film in its own right. The Departed follows an undercover cop who infiltrates the Boston mob and a mobster who joins the police. However, their plans are disrupted as both organizations realize that there is a mole in their midst.

The Departed stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga and Alec Baldwin. It appeared on many best-of-the-year lists and was nominated for five Oscars, winning Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing. Watch The Departed here.

17. A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

There are many remakes of films by Japanese master director Akira Kurosawa. The Magnificent Seven is a remake of Seven Samurai. 2022’s Living is based on Ikiru. 1964’s The Outrage is Rashomon. While none of these films ever really rival the original, A Fistful of Dollars, a Spaghetti Western remake of the iconic samurai film Yojimbo (1961), is worth a watch. Directed by Sergio Leone, A Fistful of Dollars was an unofficial remake that resulted in a lawsuit from Japan’s Toho Studios. Kurosawa also wrote in a letter to Leone, “Signor Leone, I have just had the chance to see your film. It is a very fine film, but it is my film.”

A Fistful of Dollars follows a stranger who arrives in a small Mexican town and becomes embroiled in a conflict between the sheriff and a local gang. The film stars Clint Eastwood, Marianne Koch, Josef Egger, Wolfgang Lukschy, Gian Maria Volont, Daniel Martín, Bruno Carotenuto and Benito Stefanelli. It is now considered one of the best Westerns ever made. Is it better than Yojimbo? Well, no, but it’s hard to beat Kurosawa. A Fistful Full of Dollars is available to stream here.

16. An Affair to Remember (1957)

Leo McCarey’s An Affair to Remember is a unique remake because it is based on 1939’s Love Affair, which McCarey also directed. Neither version of the film might be highly palatable for modern audiences. Both are romantic melodramas, which won’t be for everyone. An Affair to Remember follows a couple who meet on a transatlantic crossing before an injury disrupts their second meeting.

The 1957 version stars Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. The movie is a romance classic and has been referenced in films like Sleepless in Seattle and TV shows like Gossip Girl and Futurama. While it is a remake, it has also been remade several times, including 1994’s Love Affair, 1965’s Bheegi Raat and the 1999 Bollywood film Mann. Find it here.

15. Insomnia (2002)

2002’s Insomnia is the American remake of a 1997 Norwegian thriller of the same name. Both films are very good. However, the American version has an all-star cast including Robin Williams, Al Pacino, Hilary Swank and Maura Tierney. It is the only film directed by Christopher Nolan that he did not write or co-write. While it’s a remake, it feels very fresh, and Nolan even once said of it, “I think, of all my films, it’s probably the most underrated.”

Insomnia follows L.A. detectives sent to investigate a murder as one of them is plagued by guilt, insomnia and perpetual daylight in the small town of Nightmute, Alaska. Roger Ebert said of the film, “Unlike most remakes, the Nolan Insomnia is not a pale retread, but a re-examination of the material, like a new production of a good play.” The director of the original film, Erik Skjoldbjærg, also praised this version. It is available here.

14. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

While Little Shop of Horrors is more directly based on the 1982 play of the same name, that play is a musical remake of the 1960 comedy-horror film The Little Shop of Horrors. The music adds a lot to the original story, and the remake has eclipsed the original film as a cult classic. Directed by Frank Oz with a screenplay from Howard Ashman, the film follows a meek florist who comes across a plant that feeds on human blood.

Little Shop of Horrors features Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, Levi Stubbs, Jim Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest and Bill Murray. While it was nominated for two Oscars (for its effects and original song), it was met with mixed reviews. The ending of the film was changed from the stage play, and the original ending was only available through a black and white work print until it was restored in 2012. It is campy, silly and even a bit messy at times, but that is part of the charm of Little Shop. Find it here.

13. Evil Dead II (1987)

Evil Dead II might sound like a sequel, and in many ways, it is. However, it is also partially a remake of the first Evil Dead film. It is also often called a “requel.” The cult classic film follows a couple’s vacation to a cabin in the woods, which is interrupted when they play a tape of ancient recitations that lead to demonic possession. Directed by Sam Raimi, Evil Dead II stars Bruce Campbell, Dan Hicks, Sarah Berry and Kassie Wesley.

The film contains some of the plot points from the first film but also deviates in both story and tone. While most fans of the franchise argue about which film is the best, the second is generally considered better than the first one. It is more comedic and has a very different tone, which perfectly fits into the film’s campy, gory and beautifully low-budget vibe. Watch it here.

12. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

The original 1960s Rat Pack version of Ocean’s Eleven is super fun and includes some great music. However, the 2000s remake is arguably a better film with higher stakes and a better romance. Notably, the original Ocean’s Eleven hinges on what was cool in the early 1960s, and the 2000s version updates what “cool” is for a new generation.

Ocean’s Eleven follows Danny Ocean as he and his crew pull off a heist, namely robbing a casino on the Vegas strip. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film stars George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy García, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, Qin Shaobo and Carl Reiner. It is available to stream here.

11. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

There are two versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much: one from 1934 and one from 1956. Notably, both were directed by Alfred Hitchcock. While they have the same director and name, the plot has fairly significant tweaks. The 1956 version follows a family on vacation in Morocco when an assassination plot is revealed to the father, and the son is kidnapped.

The 1956 version stars James Stewart and Doris Day. In the 1966 interview Hitchcock/Truffaut, Hitchcock said, “Let’s say the first version is the work of a talented amateur and the second was made by a professional.” The original version is excellent and is anchored by a fabulous performance by Peter Lorre. However, the remake is also wonderful and features the Oscar Award-winning song Que Sera, Sera. Find the remake here.

10. Cape Fear (1991)

Another impressive production from Martin Scorsese, Cape Fear is a remake of a 1962 film of the same name directed by J. Lee Thompson. In many ways, the original Cape Fear is arguably better; however, the 1991 version features an iconic performance from Robert De Niro, making this version well worth a watch. The 1991 version also stars Nick Nolte, Juliette Lewis, Jessica Lange, Joe Don Baker, Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. Mitchum and Peck also starred in the original (in the same parts as De Niro and Nolte, respectively).

Cape Fear follows a violent rapist who stalks the family of a lawyer who put him away. The film was initially developed by Steven Spielberg. However, deciding it was too violent for his taste, he traded the project to Scorsese in exchange for Schindler’s List. Cape Fear earned both De Niro and Lewis Oscar nominations for their performances. Find it here.

9. Nosferatu (2024)

2024’s Nosferatu is based on the 1922 silent film of the same name. However, it also adds elements of Dracula (both the novel, which 1922’s Nosferatu was also loosely based on and multiple movie versions). It follows a Transylvanian count who leaves his castle to bring death to a city and goes after a beautiful young woman.

Written and directed by Robert Eggers, the film stars Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe. While the original is an important work in film history, there are a couple of additions to this version that really work. It adds more to the character of Ellen and her relationship with Count Orlok. It is also very overly sexual. While the vampire genre often has themes of sexual desire baked into it, this film takes it to an almost comical point. While it was made 100 years after the German expressionist period, many of the best visuals feel like a love letter not only to 1922’s Nosferatu but to other silent German expressionist films like The Cabinet of Dr. Calagari and Faust. It’s an impactful addition to the vampire genre that still feels relevant after countless remakes. It is available here.

8. A Star is Born (1954)

There are four versions of A Star is Born. Three are musical remakes of the first one, and any of these three could find a home on this list. These films feature iconic leading performances by Judy Garland, Barbara Streisand and Lady Gaga, respectively, and follow a similar plot of an unknown’s rise to stardom. While the original 1937 A Star is Born is great, adding a musical element really works for the fairly simple plot.

While all versions of the film are pretty enjoyable, the first remake, the 1954 version starring Garland and James Mason, is a must-see. Directed by George Cukor, A Star is Born was a comeback for Garland, as it was her first film after negotiating a release from her contract at MGM. She went on to earn an Oscar nomination for the role. In 2000, the film was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress. Find A Star is Born here.

7. The Thing (1982)

Technically, The Thing walks the line between being a remake and an adaptation. It is the second adaptation of the 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. novella Who Goes There? However, it is also often called a remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World. While the 1950s film is a charming sci-fi-ish B-movie, the 1980s version is cult-horror classic (and is much closer to the source material).

The Thing follows a group of researchers in Antarctica after a mysterious dog turns up at their base. Directed by John Carpenter, the film stars Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Masur and Richard Dysart. The Thing originally received negative reviews. Carpenter said of the contemporary reviews of the film in 2008, “I take every failure hard. The one I took the hardest was The Thing. My career would have been different if that had been a big hit… The movie was hated. Even by science-fiction fans. They thought that I had betrayed some kind of trust, and the piling on was insane.” The Thing is cynical, and the graphic effects are wild, but that is what makes it great. Find it here.

6. Victor/Victoria (1982)

Victor/Victoria is a remake of the 1930’s German film Viktor und Viktoria. It is one of several films to remake the source material, including 1935’s First a Girl, 1957’s Victor und Victoria and 1975’s My Girlfriend, the Transvestite. However, the 1980s American version is arguably the best.

The musical comedy follows a struggling woman who decides to pretend to be a man to pretend to be a female impersonator to rise to the top of Paris’s club scene. The film was written and directed by Blake Edwards and starred his wife, Julie Andrews (in one of her most comedic roles), as well as James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren and Alex Karras. The movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards. In 1995, it also was adapted into a Broadway musical. It is available here.

5. The Parent Trap (1998)

While the original 1961 adaptation of Erich Kästner’s 1949 German children’s novel Lisa and Lottie is a very sweet film, its 1998 remake, The Parent Trap, is better. Directed by Nancy Meyers, the film follows two twins who reconnect at summer camp after being separated at birth and their plot to get their parents back together.

The Parent Trap stars Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson and Lindsay Lohan (in her first film). Part of what makes this version better than the original is Lohan’s performance as both twins. The film has several callbacks to the original and the exact same run time of 2 hours and 9 minutes. Find the 1990s version here.

4. The Fly (1986)

Be afraid. Be very afraid. David Cronenberg’s The Fly is arguably better than the 1958 film of the same name. While the 1950s version is a fun sci-fi throwback perfect for the drive-in movie crowd, the 1980s version is an iconic entry to the body horror genre. The Fly follows a scientist whose experiment in teleportation accidentally results in him slowly turning into a man-fly hybrid monster.

The film stars Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. While the film is solidly a horror film, it is also a surprisingly emotional tragedy and functions well as a metaphor for terminal diseases. The visuals are still disturbing and impressive 40 years later. The film even won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. Watch the film here.

3. True Grit (2010)

True Grit is technically an adaptation of Charles Portis’s 1968 novel of the same name, but it also feels like a remake of the 1969 John Wanye Western (also based on the book). From directors Joel and Ethan Coen, 2010’s True Grit is the rare film that is simply better than the original. The acting is better. The directing is more interesting. And really, it is grittier. The film follows a 14-year-old girl who, after the death of her father, employs a drunken lawman to help track down his murderer.

The film stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Hailee Steinfeld. True Grit was nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture (however, it won none.) The 2010 version is much closer to the novel than the 1969 version, which is also notable. True Grit is available on streaming here.

2. The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Many don’t even know that the 1941 version of The Maltese Falcon is a remake of a 1931 film of the same name. It is generally accepted as the best version of the story and is easily the most famous version as well. The film follows a San Francisco Private Investigator on the hunt for a jewel-encrusted statue of a falcon.

The Maltese Falcon was the first feature film directed by the legendary John Huston. It stars Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane, Lee Patrick and Sydney Greenstreet (in his first film role). The film was especially important for Bogart’s career as he would be cast again and again as hard-boiled detective types after appearing as one in it. The film was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Picture, and it was one of the first 25 films selected for preservation at the Library of Congress. It is a noir classic that is also sometimes cited as the first “film noir.” It is a stylish film that never sacrifices substance and is a must-watch for anyone even remotely interested in 1940s films. Find it here.

1. Some Like It Hot (1959)

Many don’t know that Some Like It Hot is a remake of the 1935 French film Fanfare of Love. Part of that may be because the original was French, but it also likely has to do with the original 1930s film not being very good. Some Like It Hot follows two jazz-age musicians who get into drag to join an all-girl band and avoid the mob.

Directed by Billy Wilder, the film stars Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe. While the film was protested by conservative groups upon its release, it is now considered one of the greatest American comedies ever made. In 1989, it was chosen as one of the first 25 films to be preserved in the National Film Registry. It was a turning point in cinematic history. It helped bring an end to the Hays Code and is an early example of an accepting LGBTQ film. The studio even hired a female impersonator, Barbette, to consult on the film. The film was nominated for six Oscars, winning for Best Costume Design – Black-and-White. Find it here.

Bottom Line

While it is hard to beat the original, many remakes come close or even eclipse their source material. You can’t go wrong with these iconic remakes.