In recent years, I have noticed a significant increase in the number of films and TV shows being remade. Films released not even fifteen years ago are being remade with entirely new casts but the same plots and characters. However, this raises the question; is this a way to bring the dated version of a fantastic plot into the current day and age, or is it simply a lazy way to produce more media and guarantee profits?
The general consensus would favour an original plot over a retelling of a story already heard. This was demonstrated by December 2023’s Rom-Com hit, ‘Anyone But You’, which brought an impressive $200 million in box office sales. Therefore, why are remakes continuously being produced, despite critical feedback and complaints raised about a lack of originality? Simply put, it saves costs. Lower quality scriptwriting is necessary, less production time saves money, and well-performing media can be released at a faster rate. There is also a significantly lower risk factor for streaming services to recycle a plot, than to create an entirely new one; it has been proven in the past that it performs well in popularity and sales, and is considered a ‘safe bet’.
One recent remake that has captured a new generation’s hearts would be the 2024 TV adaptation of David Nichols’ ‘One Day’. Netflix gave the green light in November 2021 to make a 14-part series of the 2009 novel. However, in 2011, there was a film adaptation starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, which generated $59 million in box office sales. Since the TV adaptation’s release, it has reached number 1 on Netflix in 84 countries, and has sent social media into a frenzy over the heartwrenching plot. The film was only released 15 years ago. Was a TV adaptation really necessary?
Disney, too, has been guilty of remakes, in the format of ‘live action’. ‘The Lion King’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘The Little Mermaid’ and many more in recent years have been adapted from their cartoon origination into live-action film productions. Once again, these have generated billions for Disney. These are plots we already are familiar with. Films we’ve seen before. Did anybody ask for a live remake, or is it simply a money grab?
January 2024 saw the release of the ‘Mean Girls’ movie-musical in cinemas, starring Renee Rapp and Chris Briney. Many were pleased to see the broadway adaptation make its way to the screen, but this was not the opinion of all. The original ‘Mean Girls’, starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, was released in 2004, and remains a chick-flick classic to this day. At the time, it generated $120 million in box office sales. The 2024 remake generated $103 million, yet raised much debate over whether or not it was necessary. One review represented the opinion of many; ‘An original box office movie was made 20 years ago and should have been left at that’.
However, the reception of remakes are not always negative. An example of this would be 2018’s ‘A Star Is Born’, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. The film was in fact a remake four times over - the original being released in 1951, and the version previous to 2018 being in 1976. This movie-musical was extremely popular, with an impressive $436 million in box office sales, and a 7.6 out of 10 on IMDB, winning three awards.
Oftentimes, a remake of a classic film can bring it into the modern day, and extend the legacy of a widely-adored storyline. But at what point does this differentiate from simply an easy money grab?
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