2022 has seen some original horror hits like Halloween reboot coming up this fall. Remakes and reboots are common in film, especially in horror. Some remakes hit their mark, while others fall flat.
There are even rare cases when a film is rebooted more than once. There are many reasons why a film is remade more than once, like there is a need for the series again or the producers think it would make a lot of money. Whether they've been well received or failed to connect with critics and audiences, Hollywood clearly isn't afraid to take a third (or fourth) crack at an idea.
The Bad Seed
The Bad Seed is a horror film about a little girl named Rhoda who has a dark side that only her mother seems to notice. The first film was in 1956. It was later remade as a TV movie in 1985 with the same premise. Finally, it was remade again in 2018, with Rob Lowe as the star.
In the original ending of the novel, Rhonda survives and the mother dies, but the Motion Picture Production Code at the time could not allow the side of evil to win. Therefore, their fates were swapped. It is perhaps a good thing it has been remade twice, so the original ending of the novel could be shown on the big screen. It is also cool that the actress who plays Rhoda in the original film appeared in the 2018 version.
Carrie
Carrie is about a girl who has a complicated life at school and at home, but she starts to question things when she believes she has supernatural powers. The first Carrie was released in 1976 to great reviews. The first reboot premiered almost 30 years later in 2002, and the last remake was released in 2013.
It is interesting how a Stephen King adaptation can be remade so many times, as some of his recent film adaptions have not been received well, like The Dark Tower. The viewer might lose value in the story when an adaptation is retold over and over. The 2013 remake is sitting at 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, so that may have saved the franchise's reputation after the 2002 remake got a 20%.
Black Christmas
Black Christmas is a film that was originally released in 1974. It is a slasher film that is set around the holidays. Its first remake was put out in 2006, and the last remake was released in 2018. All films had the same theme: a stalker harassing a group of girls in the holiday season.
The first film is the only one that got great reviews. The two remakes are sitting at 14% and 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively. It is interesting that the filmmakers turned to a Christmas-themed horror film to remake. Holiday horror is an intriguing genre that does not see a lot of critical appreciation, so the remakes were a questionable decision. However, Black Christmas is definitely the film people associate most with the genre.
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
Invasion of the Body Snatchers was originally released in 1956 and follows the plot of aliens slowly taking over the bodies of humans to take over the world. There was a remake of the film released in 1978 with the same title. There were two more reboots in the series released in 1993 and 2007 that went by different names.
This was a rare case where the remake is more iconic than the original. The 1956 film has an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the first remake has 92%, but the latter has more of an impact on the horror community. The ending shot of Matthew pointing at Nancy is still terrifying. Also, just like The Bad Seed, the remake had a cameo Kevin McCarthy, star of the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The 1993 film was well received, but the Nicole Kidman-starring 2007 film did not perform well. This series has four different stand-alone films making it one of the most rebooted franchises ever.
Halloween
Michael Meyers, a villain who seems to constantly cheat death. There was a remake in 2007, and the series was then rebooted again with Halloween in 2018.
These last few entries have been received extremely well, so the reboot has been successful. The latest entries might have preserved the film's place in the horror history books. Before the 2018 remake, the only other film in the franchise to have a fresh critic's score on Rotten Tomatoes was the original from 1978. Since there are many routes the viewer can start watching at, Forbes called the franchise "The chose your own adventure" franchise.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Leatherface and his iconic weapon of choice, the chainsaw. The franchise had a lot of sequels, but the first reboot was in 2003. The other remake was in 2022.
With so many sequels and reboots, it is hard to keep the franchise's timeline in order. The 2022 modern reboot was generally met with negative reviews, as Letterboxd claria curtis says, "my other least favorite thing about Texas Chainsaw Massacre is how much the film shoves it down your throat that it is made in the modern era".
King Kong
The original film is ranked the highest in the franchise on Letterbox. After some sequels, the first remake was in 1976. The next reboot was in 2005, and the last remake came in 2017.
This has spawned a whole new life for the monster. It is amazing to think about the accomplishments of cinema when looking at the first King Kong to the latest. Even though recent films have been more action and adventure than scary, the roots of the franchise will forever be cemented in some level of horror.
Poltergeist
Poltergeist is one of the classic horror films of the 80s as it was released in 1982. The first reboot premiered in 2015, and there is another on the way.
Fans generally hated the 2015 reboot as Letterboxd Russo Brothers, who are two of the trendiest directors in the business right now, would helm a new reboot of the franchise. This would be great to see as they have a prominent reputation and can add something new to the series, instead of making the same movie with better CGI.
House Of Wax
The original House of Wax was titled Mystery At the Wax Museum and was released in 1933. The most well-known film of the franchise is from 1953. The final remake was released in 2005.
The latest version got bad reviews, as Letterboxd gabisux simply described it as a "literal shi*t show." Hopefully, it is revived sometime in the future as there are a lot of awesome modern horror directors that would do a good job with it. The idea of wax figures in a museum coming to life has the ability to be terrifying.
Night Of The Living Dead
Dawn of the Dead and was directed by Zack Snyder.
This is a rare case where all the reboots have positive reviews. This is extremely unprecedented as a majority of remakes have at least one bad apple. Perhaps this film series should officially end on a high note. Zombie culture has given way to television recently with the success of AMC's The Walking Dead over the last decade.
