20 Worst Movie Remakes Ever, Ranked

Many remakes attempt to refresh classic stories with updated technology and current actors, but they often don’t live up to the originals. This list showcases twenty well-known remakes that failed to impress critics or viewers, even with famous casts and large budgets. For each film, we’ll look at the creators, the stars, and how it stacks up against the original in terms of ambition and success. We’ll focus on facts like when it was released, how it was made, and how much money it earned, rather than just giving opinions.

‘Rollerball’ (2002)

John McTiernan directed this new version of the film, which featured Chris Klein, LL Cool J, and Rebecca Romijn. It updated the story from the original 1975 movie – a tale of a brutal future sport – and moved the setting to Eastern Europe. The filmmakers made a striking visual choice by using a lot of night vision and green-tinted scenes. Despite this, the movie didn’t perform well when it was released in early February, earning significantly less money at the box office than it cost to make.

‘Swept Away’ (2002)

Guy Ritchie’s remake of the 1974 Italian film starred Madonna and Adriano Giannini. The movie tells the story of a rich tourist and a sailor who find themselves shipwrecked on a deserted island. Sony released it in a few theaters at first, then expanded the release for a short time, but it didn’t perform well financially, earning far less than it cost to make and promote.

‘The Wicker Man’ (2006)

Neil LaBute’s version of the story stars Nicolas Cage, LeeLee Sobieski, and Ellen Burstyn. It updates the original 1973 British folk horror tale by setting it in the Pacific Northwest and introducing a community led by powerful women. The film’s promotion focused on building suspense and showcasing symbolic imagery rather than relying on jump scares. While it earned a moderate amount at the box office in North America, it didn’t stay in theaters for long before becoming available to rent or buy.

‘Psycho’ (1998)

Okay, so Gus Van Sant did this really interesting thing – he basically remade Hitchcock’s Psycho from 1960, but in color, and shot-for-shot. It was wild seeing Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche, Julianne Moore, and Viggo Mortensen step into those iconic roles. They even rebuilt the Bates Motel and house, and copied all the original camera angles! It came out in theaters in December and got a pretty wide release, but honestly, it just didn’t stick with audiences the way the original did – especially when it came to people watching it over and over again at home.

‘The Haunting’ (1999)

Jan de Bont directed this version of Shirley Jackson’s story, which was previously a film in 1963. The movie stars Liam Neeson, Lili Taylor, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Owen Wilson. It features a grand, spooky mansion brought to life with impressive sets and visual effects. While it had a successful opening, its popularity declined quickly after the first few weeks.

‘Poltergeist’ (2015)

Directed by Gil Kenan and produced by Sam Raimi, this new version of the story stars Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt. It brings the action into the present day with things like smartphones and drone footage. The film was released in 3D in certain areas and debuted over Memorial Day weekend. It earned enough money worldwide to cover its costs, with the majority of ticket sales coming from outside the US.

‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (2010)

This remake, directed by Samuel Bayer, brought Jackie Earle Haley to the role of Freddy Krueger, with Rooney Mara and Kyle Gallner also starring. The film retells the story of a dream-stalking killer, adding more details to his origins. Produced by Platinum Dunes, it came out in late April and debuted at number one in the US, but its popularity quickly dropped in the following weeks.

‘Get Carter’ (2000)

Stephen Kay directed this film, which stars Sylvester Stallone, Miranda Richardson, and Mickey Rourke. It’s based on a 1971 British crime drama but set in America. The movie includes appearances and references to the original, even featuring Michael Caine in a supporting role. While it had a decent opening weekend, ticket sales declined quickly after that.

‘The Stepford Wives’ (2004)

Frank Oz directed this reimagining of the 1975 movie, featuring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, and Glenn Close. The film centers on a couple who move to a seemingly idyllic suburban community in Connecticut. The set design used modern, sleek robots and stylish houses to showcase a contemporary feel. Released in early summer, the movie earned most of its income within its first few weeks.

‘Point Break’ (2015)

Directed by Ericson Core, this remake stars Édgar Ramírez and Luke Bracey. It takes the action to new heights with thrilling extreme sports like wingsuit flying, big wave surfing, and snowboarding in the mountains. The filmmakers shot the movie in various locations around the world, performing many of the stunts for real. While it didn’t perform strongly in the US, the film was a success internationally, earning most of its revenue overseas.

‘Red Dawn’ (2012)

Directed by Dan Bradley, this new version of the film features Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, and Adrianne Palicki. The story updates the original invasion plot to the present day, and the aliens were digitally modified before the film’s release. Although filming finished years earlier, the movie didn’t reach theaters until after a change in distribution companies. It had a moderate opening weekend over Thanksgiving.

‘The Mummy’ (2017)

Alex Kurtzman directed this action-packed reboot starring Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, and Annabelle Wallis. It was the first film in a planned series based on classic monsters. Released worldwide in early June, the film benefited from showings on premium screens. While it earned most of its money internationally, its performance in the U.S. wasn’t as strong as expected.

‘Poseidon’ (2006)

Wolfgang Petersen directed this updated version of the 1972 disaster movie, starring Josh Lucas, Kurt Russell, and Emmy Rossum. The filmmakers built massive tilting sets to recreate the feeling of a ship capsizing and added extensive computer-generated water effects. The film was released in May, competing with many other new movies. Ultimately, the film didn’t earn enough money worldwide to cover its production and marketing expenses.

‘Arthur’ (2011)

Directed by Jason Winer, this new version of the story stars Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, and Greta Gerwig. It follows a rich man who’s pressured into an arranged marriage, even though he’s falling in love with someone else. The film is set in New York City and updates the original with more modern characters and relationships. Released in April, it did reasonably well in theaters but wasn’t a huge box office success.

‘Ben-Hur’ (2016)

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov and featuring Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, and Morgan Freeman, this film boasts a spectacular chariot race sequence created using both real stunts and visual effects. Released in August after a marketing campaign targeting faith-based audiences and shown in premium formats, the movie unfortunately didn’t earn back its production costs in theaters worldwide.

‘Clash of the Titans’ (2010)

Louis Leterrier’s remake, starring Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, and Ralph Fiennes, came out in 1981. To capitalize on the popularity of 3D movies, it was converted to 3D after filming. The film debuted over Easter weekend and quickly became the top-grossing movie. A follow-up film was released two years later, continuing the series.

‘Oldboy’ (2013)

Spike Lee’s film is a remake of a 2003 South Korean movie, starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, and Sharlto Copley. The story centers around a man who is imprisoned for years, then freed with a limited time to find out the truth. Released in late November, it played in fewer theaters than most major films. It didn’t perform well in theaters and became available to stream online quickly.

‘RoboCop’ (2014)

This new version of the film was directed by José Padilha and features Joel Kinnaman, Michael Keaton, and Gary Oldman. The story brings the classic themes of robots and surveillance into the modern world, focusing on drone technology and less-lethal weapons. Filming took place in Toronto and Detroit, and the film’s costume was updated with a new black suit. While it was more popular overseas, it also generated related video games and merchandise.

‘Total Recall’ (2012)

Len Wiseman’s remake stars Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, and Jessica Biel. Inspired by a short story from Philip K. Dick, the film is set in a future world split between two massive cities. The production focused on creating impressive, large-scale environments, and relied heavily on real, physical sets for the vehicle sequences. Released in early August, the movie performed better internationally than in North America.

‘Ghostbusters’ (2016)

I was so excited for Paul Feig’s new Ghostbusters! Seeing Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones team up was fantastic. I loved that they updated the classic equipment and gave us some really creative new ghosts, plus those appearances from the original cast were a wonderful touch. It came out right in the middle of summer and looked amazing in IMAX and 3D. It did really well in theaters around the world, which was great to see. And the home release had even more to offer – an extended cut with extra scenes and jokes! It was a really fun experience from start to finish.

Share your picks in the comments and tell us which remakes you think deserve a spot here.

2025-10-26 00:16