50 worst movie remakes
While Hollywood remakes are certainly nothing new, moviegoers might be surprised to discover the tradition dates back to 1904. That was when director Siegmund Lubin released his own take on the seminal short film "The Great Train Robbery" from the previous year. Featuring the same title and plot, Lubin injected a little more violence and style into his version. He also evaded a newly implemented copyright law in order to make as much profit as possible. Robbery, indeed.
Intellectual property laws have changed in the time since, but the Hollywood remake most definitely endures. In 2023, three of the top 10 movies at the worldwide box office were remakes or reboots ("The Super Mario Bros. Movie," "Wonka," and "The Little Mermaid"). Next up, a newer version of 1922's "Nosferatu" will hit the silver screen on Dec. 25, 2024—and it's already earning rave reviews from critics.
Sometimes, filmmakers are motivated by a genuine desire to update a classic story for modern audiences. In other scenarios, the remake is little more than a shameless cash grab or uninspired retread into formulaic territory. Once in a while, these remakes are mega-hits, like the 1954 version of "A Star is Born" or the 1957 reboot of "An Affair to Remember." More often than not, however, they're complete flops.
Enter the 50 worst remakes of all time. For the list, Stacker ranked each film according to its IMDb rating. In the case of a rating tie, the total number of user votes was taken into consideration. The list includes films of all genres, from comedy to horror to drama to romance. Some of these movies, like "The Stepford Wives" and "House of Wax," score low with viewers because of poor scriptwriting, bad editing, or cringe-worthy acting. Others, like "The Omen" and "Annie" rank low simply because audiences can't stand to see perfection messed with.
Counting down from bad to really bad, here are the 50 worst remakes of all time.
#50. Down to Earth (2001)
- Directors: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Votes: 21,447
- Metascore: 32
- Runtime: 87 minutes
An old play called "Heaven Can Wait" became three separate Hollywood films, including this 2001 version starring Chris Rock. In the movie, a stand-up comic (Rock) dies prematurely and then returns to Earth in the form of a white millionaire. Not only does the film feature a recycled premise, but Chris Rock even reuses old jokes.
#49. Nine Months (1995)
- Director: Chris Columbus
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Votes: 34,812
- Metascore: 47
- Runtime: 103 minutes
Just one year after its release, the French comedy "Neuf mois" received the Hollywood treatment. The result was "Nine Months," in which a commitment-phobic man grapples with his girlfriend's pregnancy. According to some critics, stars Hugh Grant and Julianne Moore fail to elevate a dull and tiresome script.
#48. The Omen (2006)
- Director: John Moore
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Votes: 55,780
- Metascore: 43
- Runtime: 110 minutes
1976's "The Omen" endures as a horror classic about an American ambassador (Gregory Peck) whose adopted son might very well be the Antichrist. The 2006 remake is so faithful to the original plot that most critics couldn't understand why it was made at all.
#47. Friday the 13th (2009)
- Director: Marcus Nispel
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Votes: 95,970
- Metascore: 34
- Runtime: 97 minutes
Despite lackluster reviews, the 1980 slasher flick "Friday the 13th" spawned an iconic and seemingly endless franchise. In 2009, Hollywood tried to start things all over again with this reboot. Unlike the original—which didn't actually feature Jason Voorhees as the killer—the newer version dutifully unleashed the hockey-masked maniac upon a group of unwitting campers.
#46. The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
- Director: Scott Derrickson
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Votes: 162,154
- Metascore: 40
- Runtime: 104 minutes
In 1951's "The Day the Earth Stood Still," an alien and his destructive robot threaten to annihilate Earth unless humans can all get along. Released in the midst of The Cold War, the sci-fi classic confronted its viewers with a range of prescient themes. This 2008 remake tries to capture the same lightning in a bottle, but critics found it sterile by comparison.
#45. The Wiz (1978)
- Director: Sidney Lumet
- IMDb user rating: 5.4
- Votes: 13,602
- Metascore: 53
- Runtime: 134 minutes
As one of the most iconic films of all time, 1939's "The Wizard of Oz" paved the way for numerous sequels, spin-offs, and reimaginings. Among the follow-ups is this musical version from 1978, which stars a slew of big names from the world of R&B (including Diana Ross and Michael Jackson). While the movie famously underperformed upon its initial release, it's also considered something of a cult classic.
#44. The Hustle (2019)
- Director: Chris Addison
- IMDb user rating: 5.4
- Votes: 45,053
- Metascore: 35
- Runtime: 93 minutes
Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson star in "The Hustle", a remake of the 1988 film "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" which is, in turn, a remake of 1964's "Bedtime Story." Unfortunately for these comedic actresses, in this case the third time was not the charm. The 2019 release about two women who set out to con an internet millionaire out of his wealth was called forgettable and slammed for the lack of chemistry between the two leads.
#43. The Eye (2008)
- Directors: David Moreau, Xavier Palud
- IMDb user rating: 5.4
- Votes: 51,092
- Metascore: 36
- Runtime: 98 minutes
An iconic Cantonese horror franchise was remade for American audiences in 2008, only to be panned across the board. It stars Jessica Alba as a blind violinist, who receives an eye transplant and then gains visual access to a supernatural realm. This was not the first adaptation, as the film had been previously remade twice in India.
#42. Bangkok Dangerous (2008)
- Directors: Danny Pang, Oxide Chun Pang
- IMDb user rating: 5.4
- Votes: 54,657
- Metascore: 24
- Runtime: 99 minutes
Directing duo The Pang Brothers remade their own film when they released this 2008 turkey, in which a hitman (Nicolas Cage) goes to Bangkok for a series of jobs. The original version won a filmmaking award at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2000. The remake opened to overwhelmingly negative reviews before ultimately tanking at the box office.
#41. Red Dawn (2012)
- Director: Dan Bradley
- IMDb user rating: 5.4
- Votes: 72,820
- Metascore: 31
- Runtime: 93 minutes
In the original "Red Dawn," a group of small-town teenagers (including Patrick Swayze) band together to stave off a Russian invasion. Despite mixed reviews, the 1984 film was considered a box office success. Replacing Russia with North Korea, the 2012 remake was a failure critically and commercially.
#40. 2001 Maniacs (2005)
- Director: Tim Sullivan
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 11,919
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 87 minutes
The original "Two Thousand Maniacs!" came out in 1964 and aimed squarely for the drive-in circuit, pairing dark comedy with grindhouse terror. This 2005 remake touts a similar comic sensibility, even as it delivers brutal violence and buckets of gore. Starring horror mainstay Robert Englund, the film finds a group of tourists being terrorized in a remote Southern town.
#39. Fathers' Day (1997)
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 14,579
- Metascore: 43
- Runtime: 98 minutes
Robin Williams and Billy Crystal were two of the biggest names in comedy when they teamed up for this 1997 remake of the French film "Les compères." Despite all that built-in star power, the remake bombed at the box office and earned a bevy of negative reactions. In both versions, a woman convinces two men that they're each the father of her child.
#38. What Men Want (2019)
- Director: Adam Shankman
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 21,062
- Metascore: 49
- Runtime: 117 minutes
Nancy Meyers' 2000 hit "What Women Want" was a conventionally funny rom-com that achieved major box office success. The gender-swapped Taraji P. Henson-lead remake, about a woman who can read the minds of all the men around her, didn't resonate as well with fans.The 2019 release earned criticism for its lack of humor, poor editing, and misogynistic overtones.
#37. Annie (2014)
- Director: Will Gluck
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 33,598
- Metascore: 33
- Runtime: 118 minutes
A once-popular comic strip called "Little Orphan Annie" has produced a slew of adaptations, including this 2014 musical. In the film, a young girl from the foster care system falls under the care of a wealthy businessman (Jamie Foxx). Previous adaptations take place during the Depression era, but this one uses modern-day New York as its backdrop.
#36. Point Break (2015)
- Director: Ericson Core
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 57,667
- Metascore: 34
- Runtime: 114 minutes
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, 1991's "Point Break" is considered an action classic. Starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, it follows an FBI agent (Reeves) as he penetrates the world of surfing in pursuit of bank robbers. By taking that premise into the world of extreme sports, this pointless remake eschews aesthetics in favor of stunts, according to most reviews.
#35. The Stepford Wives (2004)
- Director: Frank Oz
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 60,153
- Metascore: 42
- Runtime: 93 minutes
Based on a novel by Ira Levin, 1975's "The Stepford Wives" is considered a landmark film for its deft combination of horror and satire. It takes place in what seems to be an idyllic town, where the women are just a little too perfect. Aiming for straight comedy, the 2004 remake from Frank Oz was a disaster in every sense of the word.
#34. Robin Hood (2018)
- Director: Otto Bathurst
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 61,988
- Metascore: 32
- Runtime: 116 minutes
The story of Robin Hood has been remade so many times that it takes an impressive amount of ineptitude to rank as one of the worst adaptations. Up to the task is this 2018 version, which stars Taron Egerton as the righteous crusader. Critics called it "slow," "silly," and a "garbled, hollow mess."
#33. Flubber (1997)
- Director: Les Mayfield
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 83,452
- Metascore: 37
- Runtime: 93 minutes
Movie legend John Hughes co-wrote the script for this remake of 1961's "The Absent Minded Professor." It stars Robin Williams as Professor Philip Brainard, who discovers a strange gravity-defying substance known as Flubber. Both films were big hits for Disney Studios, though the remake is generally considered a senseless misfire.
#32. House of Wax (2005)
- Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
- IMDb user rating: 5.3
- Votes: 114,278
- Metascore: 41
- Runtime: 113 minutes
A 1933 film called "Mystery of the Wax Museum" was reimagined in 1955 as a horror classic starring Vincent Price. Loosely adapting the 1955 version, this 2005 remake finds six friends fighting for survival inside a wax museum. One of those friends is played by famous socialite and reality star Paris Hilton, and things only get worse from there.
#31. And Soon the Darkness (2010)
- Director: Marcos Efron
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Votes: 16,259
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 91 minutes
This relatively obscure thriller remakes a 1970 British film of the same name. It stars Amber Heard as a woman named Stephanie, who must rescue her kidnapped friend in a remote part of Argentina. Helping her along the way is Michael (Karl Urban), a fellow American whose girlfriend was also kidnapped.
#30. Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)
- Director: John Pasquin
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Votes: 22,544
- Metascore: 42
- Runtime: 105 minutes
The 1994 French film "Un indien dans la ville" translates to "Little Indian, Big City" and finds a tribal teenager discovering city life for the first time. Along similar lines, this 1997 remake follows a businessman (Tim Allen) into the real jungle and then back to the urban one with his Amazonian son in tow. Both films stick to the same general storyline while taking place in different cities (Paris and New York, respectively).
#29. Get Carter (2000)
- Director: Stephen Kay
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Votes: 32,306
- Metascore: 24
- Runtime: 102 minutes
1971's "Get Carter" is a gritty revenge tale starring Michael Caine as ruthless British gangster Jack Carter, who travels to Newcastle to investigate his brother's death. More than an influential work, the movie has been touted as one of the best ever made by the likes of Empire Magazine and The Guardian. Caine actually appears alongside lead actor Sylvester Stallone in this 2000 remake, a critical and financial disaster that takes place primarily in Seattle.
#28. Flatliners (2017)
- Director: Niels Arden Oplev
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Votes: 41,258
- Metascore: 27
- Runtime: 109 minutes
Joel Schumacher's original "Flatliners"—about a group of medical students who experiment with death—received mixed reviews but pulled in a respectable box office haul. The 2017 remake was an absolute snoozefest by comparison, according to both critics and audiences. It bombed in its first week and has since been forgotten.
#27. Hellboy (2019)
- Director: Neil Marshall
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Votes: 75,667
- Metascore: 31
- Runtime: 120 minutes
The "Hellboy" franchise is a series of films based on the Dark Horse Comics character of the same name. The first two films in the series earned praise for the way they broke the typical superhero mold, offering a darker, more original storyline. However, this third installment, which is actually a remake of the first in the franchise, was deemed a soulless, undercooked origin story that simply couldn't compete with gems Marvel was releasing.
#26. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
- Director: Samuel Bayer
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Votes: 91,595
- Metascore: 35
- Runtime: 95 minutes
Thanks to its creative premise and unforgettable villain, Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street" helped redefine the horror genre upon its 1984 release. The graphic exploits of Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) would ultimately spawn merchandise, a video game, a hit song, a TV series, and a number of sequels. Jackie Earle Haley tackled the role of Krueger for this 2010 reboot, a movie straight out of most critics' worst nightmares.
#25. Conan the Barbarian (2011)
- Director: Marcus Nispel
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Votes: 94,468
- Metascore: 36
- Runtime: 113 minutes
Directed by John Milius and co-written by Oliver Stone, the original "Conan the Barbarian" was an ultraviolent fantasy film that helped turn Arnold Schwarzenegger into a movie star. It was followed by a sequel and then this remake in 2011. Featuring Jason Momoa in the title role, the remake bombed at the box office and killed any franchise potential dead in its tracks.
#24. Fame (2009)
- Director: Kevin Tancharoen
- IMDb user rating: 5.1
- Votes: 15,867
- Metascore: 39
- Runtime: 107 minutes
Depicting the lives of various students at New York's High School of Performing Arts, 1980's "Fame" comes bolstered by uncompromising drama and an iconic soundtrack. It was followed by multiple adaptations for both the stage and small screen, and then this 2009 remake. Critics like Roger Ebert dinged the movie for missing the original's magic with "sanitized and dumbed down" material for a "hypothetical teen market."
#23. Sorority Row (2009)
- Director: Stewart Hendler
- IMDb user rating: 5.1
- Votes: 28,383
- Metascore: 24
- Runtime: 101 minutes
The 1980 cult hit "The House on Sorority Row" was reimagined in 2009, resulting in this contrived slasher flick. The movie centers on a group of sorority sisters who accidentally kill one of their own during an ill-conceived prank. As the sisters try to cover their tracks, a serial killer hunts them down one by one.
#22. When a Stranger Calls (2006)
- Director: Simon West
- IMDb user rating: 5.1
- Votes: 42,746
- Metascore: 27
- Runtime: 87 minutes
An extended opening sequence—during which a psychopath terrorizes a babysitter over the phone—helped cement 1979's "When a Stranger Calls" in popular imagination. As it famously turns out, the psychopath is calling from inside the house. Expanding upon that 20-minute opening is this 2006 remake, which confines the terror to a single night.
#21. The Bachelor (1999)
- Director: Gary Sinyor
- IMDb user rating: 5.0
- Votes: 16,469
- Metascore: 31
- Runtime: 101 minutes
A timeless silent film from Buster Keaton inspired this 1999 remake, about a perennial bachelor (Chris O'Donnell) who must find a bride if he wants to inherit his grandfather's fortune. Along with its relatively poor IMDb rating is a downright paltry Rotten Tomatoes score of 9%.
#20. The Women (2008)
- Director: Diane English
- IMDb user rating: 5.0
- Votes: 20,268
- Metascore: 27
- Runtime: 114 minutes
In a testament to the power of female talent, 1939's "The Women" stars an A-list cast of actresses and doesn't feature a single adult male. Taking direct cues from the original film (as well as the play before it), this 2009 remake likewise hosts a range of big-name actresses and not a single grown man. There was just one problem: it forgot to be fun, according to numerous critics.
#19. The Haunting (1999)
- Director: Jan de Bont
- IMDb user rating: 5.0
- Votes: 70,604
- Metascore: 42
- Runtime: 113 minutes
Author Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" is widely considered one of the greatest horror novels of the 20th century. It's then no surprise that there have been a handful of adaptations, including an acclaimed Netflix series as well as this panned 1999 remake. In the movie, a team of paranormal experts encounters ghostly spirits inside a haunted mansion.
#18. Poltergeist (2015)
- Director: Gil Kenan
- IMDb user rating: 4.9
- Votes: 54,485
- Metascore: 47
- Runtime: 93 minutes
While the debate as to who actually directed the original "Poltergeist" rages on, its status as a horror classic remains steady. The same cannot be said for the 2015 remake, in which a suburban family is once again haunted by evil spirits.
#17. Gulliver's Travels (2010)
- Director: Rob Letterman
- IMDb user rating: 4.9
- Votes: 64,975
- Metascore: 33
- Runtime: 85 minutes
Jonathan Swift's clever satire about a traveling writer has inspired numerous film adaptations, including this one from 2010. This modernized retelling follows Lemuel Gulliver (Jack Black) to the island of Lilliput, where he literally towers over the locals.
#16. Knock Knock (2015)
- Director: Eli Roth
- IMDb user rating: 4.9
- Votes: 77,688
- Metascore: 53
- Runtime: 99 minutes
The obscure 1977 thriller "Death Game" wasn't exactly screaming out for a remake, but Eli Roth adapted it anyway. The result was this 2015 horror film, in which a devoted father and husband (Keanu Reeves) has his life violently uprooted by two unexpected female visitors.
#15. Downhill (2020)
- Directors: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
- IMDb user rating: 4.8
- Votes: 6,609
- Metascore: 49
- Runtime: 86 minutes
Sweedish director Ruben Ostlund's "Force Majeure" was an inspired comedic-thriller about the dissolution of a marriage after an avalanche in the Swiss Alps. Its remake, "Downhill," which stars Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, didn't have the same dynamic humor or dark bite, instead opting for light, airy jokes that don't land. For many viewers, the tone of the movie was all off, causing it to consistently be listed as one of the worst remakes of all time.
#14. Pulse (2006)
- Director: Jim Sonzero
- IMDb user rating: 4.8
- Votes: 27,884
- Metascore: 27
- Runtime: 90 minutes
At the height of the Japanese horror craze came this American remake, about a wireless signal that threatens to take over the world. The original was known for its distinctive atmosphere and creepy style, while this version was critically reviled.
#13. The Roommate (2011)
- Director: Christian E. Christiansen
- IMDb user rating: 4.8
- Votes: 36,235
- Metascore: 23
- Runtime: 91 minutes
Inspired by the 1992 thriller "Single White Female," this 2011 remake sets the action on a college campus. It's here that a freshman named Sara (Minka Kelly) finds out her seemingly cool roommate (Leighton Meester) is actually a crazed psychopath.
#12. Black Christmas (2006)
- Director: Glen Morgan
- IMDb user rating: 4.6
- Votes: 24,504
- Metascore: 22
- Runtime: 95 minutes
Despite underperforming in the U.S. during its initial run, 1974's "Black Christmas" has since become known as a seminal slasher flick. In the film, a psychopath terrorizes sorority sisters from within their own house. This 2006 remake disappointed, with dreadful reviews and a meager box office gross.
#11. Psycho (1998)
- Director: Gus Van Sant
- IMDb user rating: 4.6
- Votes: 45,385
- Metascore: 47
- Runtime: 105 minutes
As most cinephiles can attest, Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" is arguably the most influential slasher film ever made. Director Gus Van Sant was such a fan that he helmed a shot-for-shot remake starring Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates. It doesn't have the best reputation.
#10. Taxi (2004)
- Director: Tim Story
- IMDb user rating: 4.5
- Votes: 39,711
- Metascore: 27
- Runtime: 97 minutes
Filmmaker Luc Besson wrote the original script for the 1999 French comedy "Taxi," in which a cab driver and police inspector chase down bank robbers. This 2004 remake sets the story in New York and pairs Queen Latifah with Jimmy Fallon. In the words of film critic Roger Ebert, the movie only "gets worse as it plows along."
#9. The Shaggy Dog (2006)
- Director: Brian Robbins
- IMDb user rating: 4.4
- Votes: 18,048
- Metascore: 43
- Runtime: 98 minutes
1959's "The Shaggy Dog" was a game-changer for Disney Studios, setting the template for two decades' worth of live-action family fare. In the film, a teenage boy transforms into a sheepdog at the worst of times. In this 2006 version, it's a businessman (Tim Allen) who struggles to keep it together while occasionally turning into a shaggy dog.
#8. LOL (2012)
- Director: Lisa Azuelos
- IMDb user rating: 4.4
- Votes: 53,427
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 97 minutes
Miley Cyrus stars in "LOL," a romantic comedy based on a 2008 French film of the same name. Against a backdrop of video streaming and omnipresent social media, Cyrus' character navigates the complex world of modern romance. Literally and figuratively, audiences weren't buying it.
#7. Prom Night (2008)
- Director: Nelson McCormick
- IMDb user rating: 3.9
- Votes: 33,571
- Metascore: 17
- Runtime: 88 minutes
Soon after starring in "Halloween," scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis headlined the original "Prom Night." The Canadian slasher flick was a modest hit that ended up spawning a sequel. This PG-13 remake similarly finds a bunch of girls being terrorized before their senior prom.
#6. The Fog (2005)
- Director: Rupert Wainwright
- IMDb user rating: 3.7
- Votes: 34,733
- Metascore: 27
- Runtime: 100 minutes
Reteaming "Halloween" director John Carpenter with actress Jamie Lee Curtis, 1980's "The Fog" finds ancient ghosts descending upon a small town. The universally despised PG-13 remake couldn't live up to its predecessor.
#5. The Wicker Man (2006)
- Director: Neil LaBute
- IMDb user rating: 3.7
- Votes: 63,645
- Metascore: 36
- Runtime: 102 minutes
One of the most infamous remakes of all time is this critical dud from 2006. It follows a sheriff (Nicolas Cage) as he visits an island community to investigate the disappearance of a young girl, only to uncover a much broader conspiracy.
#4. Swept Away (2002)
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- IMDb user rating: 3.6
- Votes: 15,597
- Metascore: 18
- Runtime: 89 minutes
Italian filmmaker Lina Wertmüller unleashed a string of cinematic gems in the 1970s, including the original "Swept Away." It centers on the romance between a wealthy socialite and communist sailor, who get stranded together on a remote island. Guy Ritchie directed his then-wife Madonna in the notorious 2002 remake, which didn't even crack a million dollars at the domestic box office.
#3. Barb Wire (1996)
- Director: David Hogan
- IMDb user rating: 3.3
- Votes: 24,801
- Metascore: 40
- Runtime: 98 minutes
While technically based on a comic book, 1996's "Barb Wire" is also a sort-of remake of 1942's "Casablanca." Stepping into Humphrey Bogart's shoes is former "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson, whose character runs a futuristic nightclub during the Second American Civil War of 2017.
#2. Black Christmas (2019)
- Director: Sophia Takal
- IMDb user rating: 3.2
- Votes: 8,927
- Metascore: 49
- Runtime: 92 minutes
The 1974 "Black Christmas" is a cult classic, often credited with inspiring other slasher flicks like "Halloween" and "The Fog." The main issue with the 2019 reboot, which was advertised as a "feminist retelling," is that it fell far short of being a feminist anything. One Medium critic described it as a film "created out of feeding #Woke Twitter into an AI and asking that AI to generate a screenplay." Yikes.
#1. Rollerball (2002)
- Director: John McTiernan
- IMDb user rating: 3.1
- Votes: 25,516
- Metascore: 14
- Runtime: 98 minutes
The original "Rollerball" might have centered on a futuristic bloodsport, but it was ultimately a scathing depiction of corporate culture. The 2002 remake presents the same brutal sport, but audiences found it lacking all the poignant satire and subtext.
