Everything About The Remakes You Didn't Know Were Being Made

They can go by a different name—some call them "reimaginings," others call them "reboots"—but no matter how they're being promoted, one thing is for sure: Hollywood is certainly churning out a lot of remakes these days. At first, that might sound awful, but let's remember that classic movies like Ocean's Eleven, The Thing, and Scarface were all based on earlier films.

With that optimistic outlook in mind, it's time to set our sights on the future and look at all the remakes the movie industry has in the works. But instead of talking about high-profile pictures like It or Mulan, let's delve a bit deeper and focus on some of the movies that, for whatever reason, aren't getting quite as much attention as the others. We've scoured the release schedule and rounded everything up, and from classic crime comedies to gritty revenge thrillers, here's everything about the remakes you didn't know were being made.

Child's Play

Remakes are nothing new in the horror genre. Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers have all had their films rebooted for 21st-century audiences — and now it looks a certain Good Guy doll will terrorize a new generation of moviegoers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, MGM is "fast-tracking" a Child's Play remake with director Lars Klevberg (Polaroid). The movie will be produced by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith — the same guys who produced It — and the script is by Tyler Burton Smith, who wrote Kung Fury 2.

According to Collider, Aubrey Plaza will make a radical departure from her typical weirdo-deadpan roles by playing the mom, who was originally portrayed by Catherine Hicks. Brian Tyree Henry of Atlanta is also in talks, possibly as the detective played by Chris Sarandon in the 1988 version. As for who's going to star as the main kid, Deadline reports that Gabriel Bateman of Lights Out and American Gothic will find himself up against the terrifying toy. Unfortunately, there's no word yet on who will play Chucky himself.

This new version will reportedly take a page from the Stranger Things playbook as it will involve a group of kids working together to fight the demonic doll. Also, the filmmakers will be dropping the supernatural angle. Instead of being a possessed toy, Chucky — known as a "Buddi" doll in this version, instead of a Good Guy — is a robo-toy that's been hacked and turned into a serial killing machine. But things might get a bit messy in the Child's Play universe, as Universal Studios still intends to produce a Chucky TV series and more sequels as part of the original Child's Play franchise, all starring Brad Dourif, the guy who's voiced the wisecracking killer since 1988.

Needless to say, Don Mancini (the man who created Chucky) isn't very pleased with the new film or the doll's new look, especially since he's still very much involved with making Child's Play movies. And yeah, while it's going to be a bit confusing with two different versions of Chucky running around, it does mean twice the terror for horror fans, especially when the little guy shows up in theaters on June 21, 2019.

Gremlins

When it comes to pint-sized monsters running amok, it doesn't get any better than Gremlins. Released in 1984, this Joe Dante horror comedy introduced moviegoers to the weird world of mogwai, adorable creatures that transform into murderous beasts. Over the years, Gremlins has become a Christmas classic, and it almost seems sacrilegious to remake such a perfect movie. But as it turns out, executive producers Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus (the guy who wrote the original Gremlins and directed movies like Home Alone and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) are breaking all the rules and bringing the franchise back to life with screenwriter Carl Ellsworth (Red Eye, Disturbia, Goosebumps). Speaking with Metro (via Bloody Disgusting), Columbus promised the new film would most likely be a "reboot." Granted, that's a bit of a loose term, but it could possibly mean that the new Gremlins movie will give the series a fresh new start. And hey, if that means more monstrous mischief, we're totally cool with that.

Arachnophobia

Spiders are the freakiest creatures on the planet. That's an indisputable fact. Still, director Frank Marshall managed to strike a perfect blend between corny comedy and eight-legged terror in Arachnophobia. Starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, this 1990 hit focused on a small-town doctor (Daniels) who's trying to stop a legion of deadly spiders by killing their uber-aggressive queen. Of course, it doesn't help matters that our hero is deathly afraid of arachnids. The film feels like a 1950s monster movie, and watching Goodman's overly confident exterminator was a load of laughs. Now, according to Deadline, James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring) is teaming up with Amblin Entertainment to weave an Arachnophobia remake. Instead of directing, Wan is going to produce, and the search is currently on for a screenwriter to craft a creepy-crawly screenplay. With Wan involved, you've got to wonder if this modern version will be a tad scarier than Frank Marshall's film. And while we're totally fine with a little more spider gore, we hope the remake retains some of the humor and light-hearted charm of the original.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

When most people think of Frank Oz, they remember his classic puppet characters, a la Yoda and Miss Piggy. But in addition to teaching Luke Skywalker the ways of the Force, Oz has directed quite a few films, including The Dark Crystal and What About Bob? And in 1988, Oz was the guy behind Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the con man comedy starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin.

The film follows two confidence men—one suave and sophisticated (Caine), the other loud-mouthed and arrogant (Martin)—who've made a rather despicable wager. The two are trying to fleece an heiress out of $50,000, and whoever loses the bet has to skip town. But while the film was a success, the story was hardly original. As it turns out, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was a remake of a 1964 film called Bedtime Story, a film starring the inimitable Marlon Brando.

Of course, one good remake deserves another. MGM is currently updating the '88 version with female leads. Originally titled Nasty Women (a reference to Donald Trump's jibe against Hillary Clinton), this new film will be called, appropriately, The Hustle. Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson are set to play the two scammers, with Hathaway starring as Caine's suave crook and Wilson as Martin's crass con artist. As for the mark, Alex Sharp will play a young tech billionaire who gets caught between the female flim flam artists.

The Hustle will be directed by Chris Addison, and this is the first time he's helmed a feature film. However, Addison has had a bit of work in television, directing episodes of Veep and The Thick of It. And if you're a BBC fan, then you might've seen Addison on Doctor Who, where he appeared during Peter Capaldi's run as an AI program named Seb. As for the release date, Addison's first movie will hit theaters on May 10, 2019, and we're pretty sure Hathaway and Wilson will charm critics and audiences alike, although don't expect things to get too raunchy as this remake will be rated PG-13.

Little Shop of Horrors

There are certain stories that Hollywood just can't seem to get enough of. For example, there are four different versions of A Star Is Born. There's the Jimmy Stewart rom-com The Shop around the Corner, which inspired both In the Good Old Summertime and You've Got Mail. And then, of course, there's Little Shop of Horrors. The original 1960 film was directed Roger Corman, featured a brief appearance by a masochistic Jack Nicholson, and inspired an off-Broadway musical by Howard Ashman. In turn, Ashman's play gave birth to the 1986 comedy directed by Frank Oz.

Still, despite all the songs, the basic premise was always the same. A nerdy guy accidentally find himself in possession of a massive man-eating plant...and, well, a lot of people get turned into fertilizer. Now, it looks like Tinseltown is opening up Little Shop for a third time. Deadline calls the new project "a fresh version of the 30-year-old Frank Oz-directed film," but on this go-round, Greg Berlanti will be the one shouting "action." If Berlanti's name sounds familiar, that's because he's the producer behind TV hits like The Flash, Supergirl, and Riverdale. In other words, there's a good chance this new Little Shop of Horrors will feature a whole lot of good-looking 20-somethings.

As for the screenplay, the head scribe is Matthew Robinson, who penned Monster Trucks and co-wrote the Invention of Lying with Ricky Gervais. There's no word yet on who's going to star in this thing, but since Berlanti is involved, we're going to do some fantasy casting and say Grant Gustin should get the part of Seymour. Make it happen, Berlanti.

An American Werewolf in London

The best vampire film (Dracula? Nosferatu? Let the Right One In?) or the greatest ghost movie (The Sixth Sense? The Devil's Backbone? The Haunting?) is debatable, but when it comes to werewolves, there's one film that stands snout and shoulders above the rest. Sure, The Howling and Dog Soldiers are awesome, but come on—An American Werewolf in London is the quintessential lycanthrope flick. Even 1941's The Wolf Man can't compare to this John Landis classic. After all, it won the first ever Oscar for Best Makeup, has some of the craziest jump scares ever put to celluloid, and features the greatest transformation sequence of all time.

In other words, Universal's upcoming remake has some pretty big pawprints to fill.

According to Deadline, David Alpert and Robert Kirkman of The Walking Dead fame are set to produce the new American Werewolf, bringing some serious horror cred to the project. But who's writing and directing, you ask? Well, it looks like Universal is keeping things in the family. Hoping to recapture the black magic of the original, the studio has brought out John Landis' son Max to pen the script and helm the film. If you're not familiar with Max's work, he's one of the biggest screenwriters in Hollywood today, having written movies like Chronicle, American Ultra, Victor Frankenstein, and Bright, not to mention the BBC TV show Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.

Unfortunately, Landis comes with a lot of baggage. For one, the younger Landis has something of a spotty track record with film critics (although American Ultra is actually pretty awesome), and a lot of people aren't happy with Universal's plans to remake such a beloved horror film. But more importantly, Landis was recently accused of sexual misconduct, so it will be interesting to see if he will remain attached to the project or if Universal will take a page out of the Ridley Scott playbook. Either way, before the abuse accusations, Landis said in early December 2017 (via Slashfilm) that he'd finished the first draft of the script. Whether or not that screenplay will transform into an actual film remains to be seen.

Firestarter

Stephen King readers and pyromaniacs, rejoice: German director Fatih Akin (In the FadeGoodbye Berlin) is set to direct a remake of Firestarter, the fiery 1984 film starring Drew Barrymore. Based on one of King's earliest novels, Firestarter tells the story of a young girl named Charlie (Barrymore), a pyrokinetic young girl who's trying to escape the clutches of an evil government entity. The film also featured David Keith, Heather Locklear, Louise Fletcher, Martin Sheen, George C. Scott, and quite a few infernos.

Akiva Goldsman (who won an Oscar for adapting A Beautiful Mind) and Jason Blum (the producer behind Get OutWhiplash, and Split) are producing,and Scott Teems of Narcos and Rectify is writing the script. There's no word yet on who'll play Charlie, but the role will definitely present some up-and-coming actress with an incredible opportunity to showcase her star potential and light the silver screen on fire.

White Men Can't Jump

In 1992, Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes joined forces in White Men Can't Jump, a basketball comedy written and directed by Ron Shelton. The two actors play hustlers who con unsuspecting victims out of their money on the basketball court. Snipe's character is a family man, scamming people to pay the bills, while Harrelson plays a gambler with some serious debts. Naturally, the two start off as enemies, but as the film progresses, eventually the con artists team up to make some serious cash.

The film was a major hit, earning $90 million worldwide and becoming the 16th highest-grossing film at the domestic box office that year, beating out movies like The Last of the Mohicans, Scent of a Woman, My Cousin Vinny, and Malcolm X. Now, Hollywood wants to see if they can make another slam dunk with a White Man Can't Jump remake. News of the project first broke in January 2017, and according to Variety, Black-ish showrunner Kenya Barris is producing and writing, while Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers and Ryan Kalil of the Carolina Panthers are producing through their company, Mortal Media.

At the moment, that's all the news we've got on the remake. We don't even know who's going to play the two b-ball hustlers just yet, though we'd be perfectly fine with bringing back Harrelson and Snipes.

License to Drive

When Hollywood wants to remake a film, they often pick a classic from the 1980s. Well, that's the usual model anyway, but now, it looks like 20th Century Fox is shaking things up a bit. True, they're still going with a film from the '80s, but this time, it's a little-known movie that's been largely forgotten by modern audiences.

Titled License to Drive, this 1988 comedy stars Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, and Heather Graham, and focuses on a kid (Haim) who fails his driver's test. Of course, that doesn't stop him from borrowing his grandfather's 1972 Cadillac Sedan de Ville and taking out the girl of his dreams (Graham). But now, with producer John Davis running the show (the same guy who's producing the Invasion of the Body Snatchers remake), Fox is going to gender-swap License to Drive. There's no info yet on who'll play the three lead parts, and it'll be interesting to see if remaking a lesser-known film will translate into box office success.

The Great Outdoors

One of Hollywood's most beloved filmmakers, John Hughes was the director behind '80s classics like The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Hughes also wrote screenplays for quite a few of your favorite films, like National Lampoon's Vacation, Pretty in Pink, and Home Alone, just to name a few. Most of these movies are considered untouchable by film fans, but now, it looks like one of Hughes' lesser-known scripts is getting a modern-day redo.

In April 2017, Deadline announced that Universal is remaking The Great Outdoors, a 1988 comedy starring John Candy as Chet Ripley, a Chicagoan who just wants to spend some time with his family out in the Wisconsin wilderness. Unfortunately, Chet's relaxing vacation is ruined when his annoying brother-in-law (Dan Aykroyd) crashes the party with his own family in tow, leading to a series of escapades involving water skis, a giant steak, and a bald-headed bear.

The original film brought in approximately $40 million at the domestic box office, and now, Universal is aiming for an even bigger payday by bringing Kevin Hart on board. As pointed out by Slashfilm, we don't know yet if Hart will play the Candy or the Aykroyd part, and there isn't any word yet on who's filling out the rest of the cast. Still, Hart is a pretty bankable star, and if studio execs pick the right guy to play his foil, then Universal might have a nice little hit on their hands.

Maniac Cop

Directed by the infamous William Lustig, 1988's Maniac Cop has been described as "schlocky" and "scummy," and one critic said it was "gruesome, gory, and actually kinda fun." The exploitation flick features Tom Atkins as a cop investigating a series of murders, Robert Z'Dar as a psychopathic police officer killing anyone in his path, and Bruce Campbell as an innocent cop who's blamed for Z'Dar's crime spree. While the film wasn't exactly a critical hit, the slasher has picked up a cult following over the years, and now it looks like Officer Matt Cordell may rise again.

The Maniac Cop remake has been in the works since 2012, with Nicolas Winding Refn of Drive and The Neon Demon set to produce. It took awhile to get the film rights, but in 2015, things really started moving. It was reported that Ed Brubaker, the guy who penned Marvel's Winter Soldier storyline, was writing the script and that John Hyams (Universal Soldier: RegenerationUniversal Soldier: Day of Reckoning) would direct. Then in March 2017, Variety reported that the film would start shooting this summer, although the remake isn't going to be exactly the same as Lustig's original B-picture.

It seems that this Maniac Cop will be more of a realistic thriller than a horror film, with Refn telling Bloody Disgusting the new film will "serve as more of a commentary on modern day society and the ever debatable actions of law enforcement in today's corrupt world." Hyams also confirmed the new approach, telling the Movie Crypt podcast (via Entertainment Weekly) that the film will be "a completely different thing tonally" from the '88 film. And while there's been some debate over whether or not the long-gestating movie will actually see the light of day, Hyams told Birth.Movies.Death. that even though the project is taking a little while, it's definitely still in the works.

Either way, there hasn't been any word on who's starring, but if the movie does get made, whoever the filmmakers pick, they'll probably pale in comparison to Campbell and Z'Dar...at least when it comes to their chins, anyway.

The Fly

Be afraid, film fans, be very afraid, because it looks like the mad scientists at 20th Century Fox are cooking up another Fly remake. If you're a horror fan, you know the original movie starring Vincent Price hit theaters back in 1958. And in 1986, David Cronenberg decided to give the tale his own grotesque spin, casting Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis in one of the greatest (and nastiest) monster movies ever made.

Now it looks like J.D. Dillard might very well create his own insect monstrosity. In March 2017, Variety reported that the up-and-coming director is in talks for The Fly, coming off his critically acclaimed debut Sleight. If Dillard takes the project, he'll be co-writing the script with his writing partner, Alex Theurer. (The duo also collaborated on Sleight, as well as Dillard's upcoming horror film, Sweetheart.)

However, Dillard reminded Slashfilm that talks are still ongoing, and nothing is official just yet. He's also fully aware that remakes often have a bad habit of bombing with critics and fans alike. As he explained, "I think if you look at a lot of remakes, and the ones that may have not been as successful as others, I think often times the wrong pieces are remade." So what's the secret to a solid remake? Well, according to Dillard, it's all about the characters, and he promises that if he makes The Fly, his version will be more than just special effects. Instead, his film will have "a beating heart first and foremost."

Scarface

Say hello to a little remake—a Scarface remake, to be exact. Sure, talk of a new Scarface might upset some fans—it is one of Al Pacino's most acclaimed performances, after all—but if you're getting worried, just remember that Brian De Palma's 1983 film was actually a remake itself. The first Scarface was directed by Howard Hawks in 1932, and it featured Paul Muni as an Italian immigrant making a name for himself in the Chicago mob. A couple of decades later, De Palma simply switched the setting to Miami, turned the main character into a Cuban, and created an all-time masterpiece.

Now, following in the Scarface tradition, the new film will take place in Los Angeles and follow a Mexican immigrant's rise to power. But the movie has hit quite a few bumps (of the road variety, not the coke kind) along the way. This Universal film was originally supposed to be directed by Antoine Fuqua, who then dropped out to work on The Equalizer 2. Next, David Ayer (Suicide SquadEdge of Watch) was tapped for the job, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, his vision for the movie was just "too dark" for the studio. Now, Fuqua is back again, but who's sitting in the director seat isn't the only problem that's plagued this production.

The screenplay has been through multiple rewrites, courtesy of David Ayer, Jonathan Herman, and the Coen brothers. Now, according to Variety, Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (of the upcoming Miss Bala remake) has been hired to give the script another once-over. Universal has also hit a snag with their leading man. Originally, Diego Luna (Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryFlatliners) was set to fill Pacino's shoes, but due to all the setbacks, we might to have say goodbye to our Luna friend.

Kill Bill

Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill is one of the best and bloodiest revenge films ever made. It stars Uma Thurman as the Bride (a.k.a. Beatrix Kiddo), a scorned and scarred woman hunting the squad of deadly assassins who crashed her wedding and shot her life to pieces. The two-part film has widely been hailed as one of the best movies of the 2000s, but do you know what Kill Bill was sorely lacking? A couple of Bollywood musical numbers.

Well, if you've ever wanted to see the Crazy 88 break into a choreographed dance routine, you might be in luck. Actor-turned-producer Nikhil Dwivedi is bringing Kill Bill to Bollywood, and while there's not much information on the project at the moment, we do know that Dwivedi produced a Sex and the City-style comedy called Veere Di Wedding, which had the highest opening day for any Indian film with a female-led cast. So it seems like the guy knows how to make movies about women, which is pretty important as Beatrix Kiddo is one of the greatest female characters of all-time.

Honestly, we're not sure how this one is going to work out. Tarantino is such a unique voice, and Kill Bill is so uniquely Tarantino, from its stylized dialogue to its inventive action scenes. The movie is a mishmash of everything the filmmaker holds dear — from spaghetti westerns and Bruce Lee movies to anime and creepy whistling songs from 1960s English thrillers. If the new version just copies Tarantino's style and taste, it will end up feeling like a meaningless clone. But if the movie can bring a totally new style and completely fresh references, this Indian Kill Bill could be an exciting take on a modern classic.

First Blood

We all know John Rambo can survive in the woods, fight the Viet Cong, and shoot helicopters with explosive-tipped arrows, but can he sing and dance? Well, it looks like we're about to find out, as the action movie icon is headed to Bollywood.

Starring up-and-coming star Tiger Shroff (son of the prominent Indian actor Jackie Shroff), the First Blood remake will be titled Rambo, and according to Entertainment Weekly, the movie will follow "the last surviving member of an elite covert unit of the Indian Armed Forces who returns home to find that his land is in the midst of war." Unfortunately for our hero, he's eventually "forced into hiding in the jungles and mountains of the Himalayas" where he prepares to "wreak unstoppable destruction onto his enemies."

All while bursting into the occasional song, of course.

Rambo will be directed by Siddharth Anand, who also remade the Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz action-comedy Knight and Day. Of course, bringing Rambo back with a new actor is a slightly bigger deal, especially since he's one of the most famous movie characters of all time. Fortunately, Sylvester Stallone is totally cool with the project, encouraging Tiger Shroff on Instagram with a post that reads, "Eye of the Tiger! I am sure you will put all of your heart and soul into it...Never give up young man!"

While we don't know yet if Mr. Shroff will compare to Sly Stallone in the action hero department, we're pretty sure his singing will sound way better.

Charlie's Angels

Even if you've never seen a single episode of Charlie's Angels, you probably know it's about three gorgeous detectives solving crimes and fighting crooks. In other words, it's a concept perfect for remakes, which is probably why we've seen so many versions throughout the years.

There was the 1970s TV show starring an original lineup of Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith, and then there were the two feature films starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu. There was even an attempt to bring the show back to television in 2011, but that series bombed pretty hard. Now, it looks like the property is getting another shot at the big screen, as Sony plans to send the Angels back into action.

According to Variety, a new film will "focus on the next generation of Angels working for the mysterious Charlie," and the team will be comprised of Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott (Power Rangers, the upcoming Aladdin remake), and Ella Balinska (Midsomer Murders). Slashfilm reports that Doug Miro and Carl Bernard of Narcos will write the screenplay. As for who's sitting in the director's seat, The Hollywood Reporter announced in 2015 that Elizabeth Banks (Wet Hot American Summer, The Hunger Games series, Power Rangers) would be calling the shots behind the camera. This marks her second time directing a feature film (her directorial debut was Pitch Perfect 2), and she'll also be producing with her husband, Max Handelman. On top of it all, she'll also be playing Bosley, the Angels' handler.

But in an interesting twist, Banks won't be the only Bosley. In this version of Charlie's Angels, there will be multiple crime-fighting agencies around the world, all working for Charlie, and each team is staffed with its own "Bosley." So in addition to Banks, we'll get to see the great Patrick Stewart playing another handler with the same code name.

Charlie's Angels is scheduled to hit theaters on November 1, 2019.

Enter the Dragon

Before Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee was merely a martial arts master, an incredible instructor, a respected philosopher, and a Chinese star who palled around with Hollywood power players. After Enter the Dragon, Lee became a bona fide icon. It's a tragedy that he died before his passion project hit theaters in 1973, but we're still feeling the affects of this film today — it laid the groundwork for modern-day classics like The Matrix and John Wick.

For all its success, Enter the Dragon has a simple story. The plot follows a martial artist named Lee (played by, well, Lee) who infiltrates a deadly fighting competition so he can bring down a powerful drug lord (Shih Kien). And once Lee shows up on the drug lord's private island, it's pretty much epic death match after epic death match. It's that simplicity that makes Enter the Dragon ripe for a remake. Spike Lee and Brett Ratner both thought about giving it a go, and there was talk of a noir-style reboot in 2007 that would follow "a lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs," but that never came to pass.

Now it looks like the dragon is about to return for real: David Leitch, who co-directed John Wick and directed both Deadpool 2 and Atomic Blonde, is in talks to helm an Enter the Dragon remake. At the moment, there are no writers or actors involved, but casting that lead role is going to be key. While there's not a lot to the plot, the first movie was all about the awesomeness of Bruce Lee, so Leitch needs to search hard if he's going to find someone who can match the original actor's skill and charisma.

The Killer

One of the most influential action movies of the '80s (see any Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez film for proof), The Killer is a Hong Kong crime thriller that follows Chow Yun-fat as an assassin trying to raise money to pay for a singer's eye surgery. See, he accidentally injured her in a hit gone bad, and now he needs to carry out one last kill so he can cover the cost of her operation. But during his oddly noble quest, he draws the attention of a dedicated detective played by Danny Lee, and as the two square off, they slowly form a bond that results in a truly epic gunfight against a legion of gangsters.

Now original director John Woo wants to give The Killer another go. The gun-fu filmmaker is returning to the movie that kickstarted his career — only this time, he's gender-swapping the lead role. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lupita Nyong'o will star as the titular contract killer. Having seen her fight both arms dealers and Michael B. Jordan in Black Panther, she sounds like an incredible pick to play the part of a morally complex hitman. As for the script, the original draft was written by Eran Creevy (Collide, Welcome to the Punch), and it's being given the once-over by Brian Helgeland (Man on Fire, Mystic River, Legend). There's no word yet on when The Killer will hit theaters, but when it does, we can probably expect an epically over-the-top good time.

The Cannonball Run

While it was lambasted by criticsThe Cannonball Run was a money-making hit when it screeched into theaters back in 1981. Directed by Hal Needham, the film features a colorful cast of characters all burning rubber in an illegal cross-country race. As you might expect, the participants aren't above cheating, and all sorts of hijinks ensue as they drive from one side of the US to the other.

The movie earned over $72 million at the domestic box office, due in part to its impressive cast, which included Burt Reynolds, Jackie Chan, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, and Dean Martin—and stars like John Candy, Frank Sinatra, Eugene Levy, and Shirley MacLaine popped up in its two sequels.

Now it looks like the racers are revving their engines again, as Universal is bringing The Cannonball Run back to theaters. If you want to get real technical, the studio is calling it more of a "relaunch" than a remake, but it sounds like Universal is splitting some very fine hairs there. According to Deadline, Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant of Night at the Museum fame might write the script. And while Rawson Thurber (DodgeBall: A True Underdog StoryWe're the MillersCentral Intelligence) was originally attached as director, it looks like someone new will take the steering wheel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Doug Liman (Edge of TomorrowMr. and Mrs. Smith) is in talk to direct. There's no word yet on who'll fill out the cast, but it's probably safe to assume that the new Cannonball Run will feature more than a few A-listers.

Starship Troopers

Directed by Paul Verhoeven, Starship Troopers has never gotten the same amount of love as the director's magnum opus, RoboCop, but it's still gained a sizable cult following over the years. Starring Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, and Neil Patrick Harris, the 1997 original followed a group of kids who join the military to fight bugs in outer space. Initially, the movie was misunderstood by quite a few critics, but these days, Troopers is widely recognized as a biting satire on fascism and militarism.

The original novel, written by Robert A. Heinlein, couldn't be more different. The book has a much more pro-militarism/pro-war stance than the Verhoeven film, which means the upcoming remake will diverge significantly. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia hopes to bring kick off "a potential franchise" with a new Starship Troopers—but most importantly, the upcoming version will stick a lot closer to the novel (a book Verhoeven hated).

As for who's involved, in November 2016, it was reported that screenwriting duo Mark Swift and Damian Shannon would work on the script. These are the same guys behind movies like 2009's Friday the 13th, Freddy vs. Jason, and the recent Baywatch film starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron—none of which were exactly critical darlings. When you couple with that with a totally different approach to the material, it's probably safe to say that quite a few Paul Verhoeven fans will be displeased with the new Troopers.

Alien Nation

Released in 1988, Alien Nation is set in a world where humans and aliens live side-by-side on planet Earth...but things aren't always peaceful. The plot follows a racist human cop (James Caan) who's partnered up with an extraterrestrial officer (Mandy Patinkin). Naturally, the two butt heads as they try to bring down an otherworldly drug dealer, and while they're facing underworld hoodlums, they're also struggling to battle past their own biases.

It's a fairly simple plot, but with its themes of prejudice and xenophobia, Alien Nation is a movie that's practically screaming to be remade in this day and age. Evidently, 20th Century Fox agrees, because in March 2015, the studio hired Art Marcum and Matt Holloway of Iron Man fame to write the script. However, things changed behind the scenes in November 2016, when it was revealed that Jeff Nichols is now the one working on the screenplay.

The filmmaker behind Loving and Midnight Special, Nichols will also direct the picture, but he's got some interesting ideas about where to take his new film. In fact, Nichols claims that his version won't really be a remake at all. As he explained to ScreenCrush, "It doesn't really have anything to do with the original."

So what kind of movie are we talking about here? Well, when Fox asked Nichols to fill in for Marcum and Holloway, the director initially said no as he was planning his own sci-fi project. But then he realized that maybe he could accept the job and use the Alien Nation title for the idea he was working on. That way, he might "actually get a chance to get [his film] made." As for plot details, we know that while the original took place several years after aliens landed on Earth, Nichols' version will be set much closer to first contact. We also know that while the original took place in Los Angeles, this version is going to take place in Arkansas. Well, that's if we ever get to see the film. In an interview with Slashfilm, Nichols said he's been working on the script for two years and is nearly done with it. However, he worries that since Fox was recently acquired by Disney, the House of Mouse might just forget about his project.

Hopefully Nichols' take on the '88 sci-fi film is still moving forward, but while you're waiting to see what Nichols has in store, be sure to check out of some of his earlier work, like Mud, Shotgun Stories, or his apocalyptic magnum opus Take Shelter.

The Changeling

The Changeling might not be the most famous horror film, but director Martin Scorsese put it on his list of the all-time scariest movies, alongside The Shining and The Exorcist, and one freaky scene involving a rubber ball made it onto Bravo's list of the 100 most frightening moments, beating out clips from Deliverance, Marathon Man, and Child's Play.

The plot follows a composer (George C. Scott of Patton fame) who's recently lost his family. Stricken with grief, he ends up in a creepy old mansion that's full of dark secrets and a very angry ghost. Released in 1980, the movie was produced by Joel Michaels, and now he's bringing the story back for 21st-century audiences. The setting will switch from Seattle, Washington, to Venice, Italy, which seems like a proper place for a creepy mood piece. (Remember Don't Look Now.) According to Variety, the film will be written and directed Mark Steven Johnson, who's also done movies like Ghost Rider and Killing Season. There's no word yet on who will fill Scott's legendary shoes, but while you're waiting for the remake, be sure to check out the original for some classic scares.

Flight of the Navigator

In the 1980s—during that period when Disney was making really weird and inventive movies like Tron and Something Wicked This Way Comes—the House of Mouse released Flight of the Navigator, a sci-fi adventure starring Paul Reubens, Veronica Cartwright, and a young Sarah Jessica Parker. The plot involves a 12-year-old boy named David (Joey Cramer) who's abducted by an alien (Reubens), and after a quick jaunt into space—which, in true abductee fashion, David totally forgets about—he's deposited back on Earth...eight years later.

Unfortunately, David is the same exact age as when he first left, so naturally he's a bit freaked out. The NASA scientists studying him are also a bit overwhelmed when they realize his brain has been programmed with all sorts of undiscovered star maps. Since David is loaded with so much information, the researchers don't plan on ever letting him go, so our hero must join up with his old alien buddy, make an extraterrestrial escape attempt, and stay one step ahead of NASA, all while listening to the Beach Boys.

Now, Lionsgate and the Henson Company are teaming up for a new adaptation, and after briefly considering Colin Trevorrow in 2012, they're hiring Joe Henderson—the showrunner behind Lucifer—to pen the screenplay. And with the Henson Company's involvement, we've got our fingers crossed that we might get to see a few puppets, including that adorable little Puckmaren.

Home Alone

A Christmas classic about the importance of family and guerrilla warfare, Home Alone was a runaway hit in 1990. It also gave way to multiple sequels — one of which featured a cameo from a future U.S. president — but nobody has tried to remake the sweetly violent story of Kevin McCallister and the Wet Bandits. Until now, anyway: It looks like Ryan Reynolds is about to put his own spin on the Macaulay Culkin classic, producing and starring in Stoned Alone, a movie about a stoner who misses his family vacation, so he decides to hang around the house and, well, get stoned. After a serious case of paranoia sets in, things get even more complicated when our hero is forced to battle with home invaders, not to mention the munchies. This movie will be directed by Augustine Frizzell (Never Goin' Back and HBO's Euphoria) and written by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider (The Package), and since Reynolds is involved, we're hoping he can inject it all with a bit of that R-rated Deadpool charm.

Train to Busan

While it slipped past most Americans, Train to Busan was a major hit in South Korea. The horror flick picked up over $87 million, with most of that coming from the tiny Asian country. It also impressed critics across the world, garnering a 96 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. So what's up with this Korean blockbuster? Well, Train to Busan focuses on a work-obsessed dad who's taking his unhappy daughter to visit her mom. Unfortunately, the trip gets a bit intense when their train is attacked by zombies. At first, our hero is only concerned with taking care of himself and his kid, but as the situation escalates, he starts working with his fellow passengers to fight off the undead threat and protect everyone on board.

Like the best zombie movies, Busan blends monsters with metaphor, but since the film is in a foreign language, it looks like Train to Busan will be the latest Korean film to get an English-language retread. Studios like Universal, Paramount, Lionsgate, and Screen Gems all wanted a crack at the project. But according to Deadline, New Line Cinema is teaming up with a French company called Gaumont to bring the remake to the big screen. James Wan (SawThe ConjuringAquaman) is set to produce, and Gary Dauberman will pen the screenplay. While Dauberman's name might not seem familiar, you've definitely seen this guy's work. He's written scripts for ItThe Nun, and both Annabelle movies.

So yeah, Dauberman knows his way around the horror genre. There's no word yet on who will star or direct, but obviously, the new version will get a new title and be set in the US. While some people might think it's unnecessary to remake such an awesome film, the folks at Next Entertainment World (the original film's distributor) hope the American remake will help "Korean films get more attention." And as it's the country behind films like Oldboy and Snowpiercer, we're cool with South Korea getting as much attention as possible.

50 First Dates

In true Adam Sandler fashion, 50 First Dates bombed with critics but put up good numbers at the box office, earning $120 million against a $75 million production budget. But maybe critics would appreciate the film more if you replaced Sandler with a completely different actor and then swapped the English dialogue with a completely different language.

According to Deadline, the 2004 comedy is getting a Spanish-language remake titled 50 Primeras Citas. If you're unfamiliar with the plot, the original follows a veterinarian (Sandler) who's trying to date a woman (Drew Barrymore) suffering from short-term memory loss, so his efforts to woo her are complicated when her memory resets each morning. In this new version, Vadhir Derbez will be playing Sandler's role and Ximena Romo will take the female lead. While Romo is a virtual unknown to English-speaking audiences, you might recognize Derbez from How to be a Latin Lover ... or maybe you've totally forgotten that you've seen that film.

Highlander

Among immortal swordsmen, there can be only one. But if we're talking about movies about immortal swordsmen, well, that's a totally different story. There have been multiple live-action Highlander movies, a couple of TV series, and several anime films. And now it looks like Lionsgate is finally moving forward with the long-awaited remake of the 1986 cult classic.

The original Highlander told the story Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a Scottish warrior who will live forever — just so long as he keeps his head on his shoulders. However, MacLeod isn't the only immortal; there are quite a few of these beings, all vying to kill one another so they can receive a mystical gift known as "The Prize." During a quest that spans centuries, MacLeod encounters a Spanish-Egyptian with a Scottish accent (Sean Connery), a sword-wielding Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), and an awesome soundtrack composed by the legendary rock band Queen.

Fast forward a couple of decades, and Chad Stahelski of John Wick fame will be directing the upcoming reboot. The script is in the hands of Ryan Condal, best known for Colony, and while we don't know who'll end up in the cast, the word (according to Deadline) is that this will be a completely "new take" on the swashbuckling first film. However, we're not exactly sure when to expect this remake as Stahelski as been preoccupied with John Wick: Chapter 3. He's also trying to decide whether he wants to make Highlander first or adapt a fantasy novel called Sandman Slim. On top of all that, Stahelski told Collider that he really wants to flesh out the Highlander mythology, so he's currently debating whether his long-gestating project will be a film franchise or a TV series. Whatever he picks, the new Highlander can't get here quick(ening) enough.

48 Hrs.

Hot off Saturday Night Live, Eddie Murphy made his feature film debut with 48 Hrs., a movie that earned nearly $80 million at the box office (a huge feat at the time) and basically created the "buddy cop" genre. Directed by Walter Hill, the movie follows Murphy as convicted crook Reggie Hammond who's released from prison to help Detective Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) catch a couple of notorious cop killers. Want to guess how long Hammond has to find the bad guys? Yeah, that's right, he's got 48 hours.

This action comedy is widely considered an '80s classic, but now it's getting a 21st-century spin courtesy of Benny and Josh Safdie. If you haven't heard of this sibling duo, they're the brothers behind Heaven Knows What (a movie with an 87 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and Good Time (a 2017 thriller that made multiple best-of-the-year lists and snagged a Palme d'Or nomination). In addition to directing, Josh Safdie will be writing the script with Ronald Bronstein and Jerrod Carmichael, and while Carmichael is best known for his NBC sitcom The Carmichael Show, audiences will soon know him better for following in the footsteps of Eddie Murphy and playing the film's wisecracking hero.

The Beach

Alex Garland is quickly becoming the new king of science fiction. In 2014, he impressed sci-fi fans with his directorial debut, Ex Machina; in 2018, he followed it up with Annihilation, a movie that earned rave reviews from critics. He also wrote the screenplays for 28 Days Later and Sunshine, but before getting into the movie business, Garland was a novelist, famous for his 1996 thriller The Beach. The book was turned into a 2000 film, directed by Danny Boyle, and it starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Tilda Swinton in the story of a young traveler who discovers an island paradise that quickly descends into Lord of the Flies

The movie bombed critically and disappointed financially, but it's a property perfect for a remake. And according to Garland, just such a project might be on the way. During a Reddit AMA (via Collider), the filmmaker revealed that "someone very talented" was working on some sort of adaptation, although we don't know if this remake is meant for the big screen or television. We don't even know who it might star or who that "very talented" person behind the project might be. But if Garland is aboard in any way, we're sure this version of The Beach will be sure to make some waves.

The Raid: Redemption

One of the craziest action movies in recent memory, The Raid: Redemption is Dredd meets John Wick, only it came out before both of those films. Directed by Gareth Evans, this Indonesian action flick follows a SWAT team trying to nab a notorious crime lord. Of course, that's easier said than done, and most of the movie is made up of fantastic fight scenes as the team battles their way up a heavily-guarded high-rise apartment building.

However, while the original Raid is a martial arts extravaganza, director Joe Carnahan plans on getting grittier with his upcoming remake. The director of films like Narc and The Grey, Carnahan is teaming up with actor Frank Grillo (The Purge: Election Year, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) to create a more realistic version of Gareth Evans's original film.

Talking with Collider, Carnahan explained the main character of his film could be described as the "walking wounded." As he put it, his Special Forces protagonist (Grillo) will be suffering from all sorts of injuries from years of combat, so don't expect the original's insane choreography. Instead, Carnahan and Grillo promise the entire film will feel like "the knife fight between Adam Goldberg and the German in Saving Private Ryan."

As for the location, the updated film will take place in Caracas, Venezuela, which Carnahan describes as a "safe house for bad guys." The director also promises the film will delve deeper into the relationship between the two brothers—one a good guy, one a high-ranking thug. And if you're feeling worried about a Raid remake, take a little solace in knowing that Gareth Evans is totally cool with it and even gave Carnahan and Grillo the okay.

Drug War

Screenwriter Ryan Engle is building quite the résumé when it comes to action movies. He was the scribe behind 2014's Liam Neeson airplane thriller Non-Stop, and he also wrote the upcoming Dwayne Johnson flick Rampage, a monster movie based on the 1980s video game. And now, according to Variety, he's going to get his chance at a pretty prestigious remake, writing the screenplay for the English-language adaptation of Drug War.

The original film was helmed by Johnnie To (who, as Den of Geek points out, has directed over 70 movies and TV shows), and follows a drug dealer named Choi (Louis Koo) who's arrested by the cops and given a difficult decision: rat on your friends or wind up on death row. Hoping to stay alive a bit longer, Choi turns on his drug-dealing associates, which is a decision that gets our anti-hero into some pretty serious trouble.

At the moment, there's no word on who'll direct or star in the film, but as the original was praised by critics and racked up quite a few awards, Ryan Engle has a lot to live up to with his new script.

Flash Gordon

In 2015, it was announced that Matthew Vaughn—the guy behind Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, and both Kingsmen films—would be remaking Flash Gordon, a bizarro space opera from 1980. Based on the comic of the same name, this crazy cult film revolves around a football player named, you guessed it, Flash Gordon. Played by Sam J. Jones, he accidentally winds up in outer space and finds himself facing Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow), an evil emperor trying to destroy Earth with a series of hurricanes and earthquakes before crushing the planet with our own moon. It's big and silly and begging for a modern remake—problem is, James Gunn and the Guardians of the Galaxy messed it all up.

Talking with Steve Weintraub of Collider, Vaughn explained how Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon have made life a lot more difficult for him. After admitting he was working on the project, Vaughn confessed, "the only problem with Flash Gordon is Guardians [of the Galaxy] kind of stole what I would have liked to have done with it." With his vision ruined, Vaughn stepped away from the director's chair, but in October 2018, Deadline reported that Flash Gordon was back... only now there was a new filmmaker at the helm. Julius Avery of the World War II horror flick Overlord is set to direct the space opera, with Matthew Vaughn producing. We're interested to see what new style Avery has come up with to make the film stand apart from the Guardians movies, although we're disappointed that Queen's original soundtrack probably won't be included in the film.

The Witches

Robert Zemeckis has had quite the career. He's directed all-time classics like Back to the Future, Contact, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He's helmed two of Tom Hanks' most beloved movies — Forrest Gump and Cast Away — and he's created some oddly animated films like The Polar Express and A Christmas Carol. Now, according to Variety, Zemeckis is remaking The Witches, a freaky film based one of Roald Dahl's creepiest novels. The plot of the original involves a young boy on vacation who discovers a coven of witches that plans on turning England's children into mice. The original 1990 version was directed by Nicolas Roeg (Don't Look Now, Walkabout) and starred the legendary Anjelica Huston as the villainous Grand High Witch, complete with a wonderfully over-the-top German accent. In this new version, Anne Hathaway will be the one traumatizing kids, and Octavia Spencer will play the grandmother of a heroic boy (Jahzir Bruno) who crosses paths with the villainous witches. And there's going to be a location change as well, with the setting being moved to the "1960s Gothic South." While the first film thoroughly traumatized kids across the world, the new version will reportedly stay more faithful to Dahl's novel. Interestingly, Guillermo del Toro was supposed to cast his own spell on the remake, but now he's co-producing alongside Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). That's quite a bit of magical talent behind the camera.

Valley Girl

Starring Deborah Foreman and Nicolas Cage (not to mention Michael Bowen of Lost and Breaking Bad fame), Valley Girl was fairly successful when it first came out, and it's only grown in status since debuting in 1983. Now it looks like MGM is gearing up for a remake with a twist: the new version is a musical.

In 2012, Deadline reported the plan was to have the characters "sing '80s New Wave tunes from bands like The Go Go's and The Cars." However, there's been at least one significant change, as original director Clay Weiner (Blue Mountain State, Fred: The Movie) has been replaced by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, who's worked on episodes of Man Seeking Woman and Teachers, not to mention A Deadly Adoption, the TV movie starring Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig.

The screenplay has gone through several iterations courtesy of Amy Talkington (Avalon High), Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married), and Marti Noxon (Fright Night, I Am Number Four). And there's quite a bit of talent in front of the camera, with newcomer Josh Whitehouse starring alongside Jessica Rothe (La La Land, Mary + Jane). According to Deadline, "Rothe plays Julie, a sweet-natured San Fernando Valley girl whose world and values are rocked when she falls hard for Randy (Whitehouse), a punk rocker from Hollywood."

Rounding out the cast, we've got Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Chloe Bennet, Better Call Saul's Jessie Ennis, Riverdale's Ashleigh Murray, Peyton List of Jessie and Bunk'd, and...Logan Paul. That's right. The controversial YouTuber is playing a supporting role, and according to Deadline, his recent fiascos might be the reason Valley Girl was moved from a June 29 release slot to an unknown date.

A Bittersweet Life

Released in 2005, A Bittersweet Life was a South Korean film starring Lee Byung-hun (The Magnificent Seven, the G.I. Joe series) as a gangster who's ordered to kill his boss's mistress, but his job gets complicated when he decides to protect the woman instead of putting a bullet in her head. It's a pretty great plot for an action thriller, and in 2012, it was reported that Denzel Washington would play the conflicted killer. However, in 2017, Deadline reported that Washington was out and Michael B. Jordan was in. And in addition to the up-and-coming star, the film will be directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker best known for Kung Fu Panda 2 and Kung Fu Panda 3.

Fantastic Voyage

Fantastic Voyage is one of those science fiction classics that's largely been forgotten by modern-day audiences. Starring Raquel Welch and Donald Pleasance, this 1966 film follows a group of scientists who shrink down to microscopic size, climb inside a miniature submarine, and set sail inside a comatose patient, hoping to save him from a brain clot. It's a pretty cool premise, one that's just perfect for a remake—and fortunately for sci-fi fans, Guillermo del Toro is the man who'll bring this tiny story to the big screen.

The idea for a Fantastic Voyage remake has been floating around Hollywood for awhile, with directors like Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum), Roland Emmerich (Independence Day), and Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum) considering the project. But we can probably all agree this fantastical concept is right up del Toro's imaginative alley. He'll be working with a script from David Goyer (who wrote del Toro's Blade II) and Justin Rhodes, but unfortunately, we'll have to wait awhile before we actually get to see it.

Originally, the movie was supposed to hit theaters in 2019, but production was paused so del Toro could focus on promoting The Shape of Water. In October 2017, he announced that he was taking a year off from directing, although a month later, he told Collider that he might start working on Fantastic Voyage come September 2018. We're unsure when del Toro will start shooting, but when he does, he'll be bringing along Paul D. Austerberry, the production designer who won an Oscar for The Shape of Water. So if nothing else, we know this film is going to look incredible.

Logan's Run

Logan's Run won a special Oscar for its visual effects, but in the four decades since its release, the movie has largely been forgotten by mainstream audiences. Directed by Michael Anderson, this sci-fi film was set in a futuristic society where people are executed once they reach their 30th birthday. Sure, you can try to escape, but you'll find yourself on the run from pistol-packing assassins, like Logan 5 (Michael York). This guy is pretty talented when it comes to tracking down "Runners," but when Logan finds himself a wanted man, he's forced to ally with another escapee and make a dash for freedom.

It's a sci-fi premise that's begging for a do-over, and we'll soon get a remake courtesy of Simon Kinberg. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Kinberg is the guy directing the upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Plus, he wrote the screenplays for X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse. This time around, he'll be sitting in the director's chair, working from a script by Peter Craig, the screenwriter who penned both The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 and 2. According to Deadline, there's a chance that Logan might be gender-swapped, which might provide some interesting commentary on women living in a society that idolizes youth. There's no word on the cast or a production date yet, but we're eager to see where Kinberg and Craig run with this idea.

Rabid

When it comes to body horror, it doesn't get any better — or bloodier — than the work of David Cronenberg. The man has directed some bona fide classics, like The Fly, Scanners, and Videodrome. But while he was still rising through the horror ranks, Cronenberg directed a bizarre vampire film called Rabid. This 1977 film focused on woman named Rose (Marilyn Chambers) who undergoes experimental treatment after a devastating motorcycle accident. As you've probably guessed, things don't go according to plan, and soon Rose finds herself as patient zero in a pandemic of "rabid" humans, hungry for blood. 

As far as Cronenberg films go, it's perfect for a remake. It's not so iconic that fans will freak out, and it's possible to take the material in exciting new directions. There's been talk of a reboot since 2016, but now it's official that Jen and Sylvia Soska (the so-called "Twisted Twins") will start filming in April 2018. Laura Vandervoort of Smallville and Jigsaw will play Rose, and according to Indiewire, we know the movie will give us a "modern and relevant spin from the woman's perspective." Rounding out the cast, we've got Ben Hollingsworth, Hanneke Talbot, Mackenzie Gray, author AJ Mendez, and believe it or not, WWE star CM Punk. And if the Soska filmography is any indication, it looks like Rabid is going to get really freaky really fast.

Point Blank

Frank Grillo and Anthony Mackie have played bitter enemies in the Captain America franchise, trading put-downs and punches as Crossbones and the Falcon. Now the two are going to butt heads again in a remake of Point Blank. We're not talking about the 1967 Lee Marvin classic, either — we're talking about a 2010 French film directed by Fred Cavaye. This action flick boasts an impressive 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and it's already been remade in South Korea as The Target. The American version will be directed by Joe Lynch (Mayhem, Everly, Knights of Badassdom), and according to Collider, the plot will find Mackie as a nurse "who's forced to spring a wounded murder suspect from the hospital when the man's brother kidnaps his pregnant wife and wants to make a trade." Christian Cooke will play the kidnapper, Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden will also star, and as you can probably guess, Grillo plays the murder suspect, and based off his antagonistic chemistry with Mackie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we're pretty sure Point Blank will be one intense thriller when it premieres on Netflix.

Disorder (aka Maryland)

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the director of Logan teamed up with the screenwriter of Hell or High Water? Well, the answer is magic—grim, blood-splattered magic, coming soon to a theater near you.

As reported by Deadline, James Mangold is directing a remake of the French thriller Disorder (also known as Maryland), and Taylor Sheridan is in charge of the script. The original was written and directed by Alice Winocour (Mustang, Home), and followed a retired Special Ops soldier hired to protect the wife and kid of a big-deal businessman. Complicating things, our hero suffers from some serious PTSD. According to Sheridan (who also wrote Sicario), he was very much inspired by the film but plans on making some big changes, such as setting the remake in Spain, adding a romantic subplot, and giving the protagonist a different "affliction."

Sheridan has also described the new hero was "a potential franchise character," which means he must get out of the first film alive. As for Mangold (Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma), he allegedly jumped at the chance to direct, and before production starts, he plans on doing a rewrite with Sheridan, allowing the filmmaker to add some of his own ideas into the screenplay. Evidently, the folks at Sony are very excited about this new project, as they're reportedly "fast tracking" the film. And you know what? We're pretty psyched, too.

A Man Called Ove

Well, it looks like Tom Hanks is going to stop playing real-life American heroes—Captain Phillips, James B. Donovan, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, and Ben Bradlee—long enough to star as an old grouch (and produce) in A Man Called Ove, a remake of a Swedish film that was a pretty big deal in 2016.

Based on a novel by Fredrik Backman, this little comedy scored an Oscar nomination and was the highest-grossing foreign film to play in American theaters last year. According to Deadline, the plot involves a cranky widower named Ove who decides to end it all, but every time he tries to off himself, his suicide attempts are interrupted by the family that just moved in next door.

As Ove gets to know his neighbors—an interracial couple with kids—he begins helping them with various problems and forming new friendships, but he never gives up on his plans to kill himself. It's a wonderfully macabre plot, but as co-producer Rita Wilson explained, it's also going to be pretty upbeat. "This story about love, tolerance, and hope," Wilson said, "amplifies the quantities in movies that are hallmarks of the classic films we know and love." Plus, it's just going to be a lot of fun watching Hanks as a quarrelsome old coot.

The Thomas Crown Affair

Coming off films like Creed and Fruitvale Station, there's no denying Michael B. Jordan is one of the most exciting actors working today. He was fantastic in Black Panther and Fahrenheit 451, and we're pretty psyched to watch him follow in Steve McQueen's footsteps with The Thomas Crown Affair.

The original 1968 film was directed by Norman Jewison, and it saw McQueen as the titular Thomas Crown, a wealthy businessman who orchestrates a bank robbery where he never comes into contact with any of the thieves. It sounds like the perfect crime, but eventually, an insurance investigator (Faye Dunaway) begins to suspect Crown of pulling off the heist. Naturally, sparks fly as the film unfolds, and the two leads grapple with both their emotions and millions of dollars as they try to outwit one another.

Now, this wouldn't be the first time someone has remade the McQueen film. Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo gave it a shot in 1999, but what's really impressive is that this new version is all Michael B. Jordan's idea. According to The Hollywood Reporter (via Vanity Fair), Jordan pitched MGM on the idea for a remake, and evidently, the studio thought it was a pretty cool concept. Now, Joe and Anthony Russo are set to produce, although they'll probably need to finish a certain superhero saga before moving forward with Jordan's new project.

Le Convoyeur

In September 2017, Variety reported that Lionsgate planned on releasing Vigilance, a gender-swapped take on a French film called Le Convoyeur. Starring Sandra Bullock, this upcoming thriller will focus on an American named Alex—gender-swapped from the original film—who's hired by a British armored car company with a bloody past. However, Alex isn't all she seems, and it quickly becomes clear that she had some ulterior motives when applying for her new gig.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie "explores greed, revenge, and the dark heart of human nature," and in addition to Bullock, Vigilance will feature some pretty important people behind the camera. Josef Wladyka of Narcos is set to direct, with Joel Silver producing. If that name sounds kind of familiar, well, you might've heard of some of his films—like Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, and The Matrix.

El Desconocido

Released in 2015, El Desconocido is a Spanish thriller that feels a whole lot like the Keanu Reeves classic Speed. The movie follows a banker (Carlos Tosar) who's driving his car one day when he gets a phone call. The voice on the other ends informs the poor guy that his car is rigged with a bomb, and he better do exactly as ordered, or the banker will be blown to kingdom come. Making things even more complicated, the guy gets the phone call while taking his children to school, and now his kids are stuck in a four-wheeled IED.

The film was nominated for eight Goya Awards (the Spanish version of the Oscar), and now the thriller is getting an English-language remake. And if you're going to cast a guy who's trying to protect his family from a terrorist, who would you pick other than Liam Neeson? According to Variety, the aging action star is playing a Wall Street executive caught in a game of life or death, and the film will be produced by Jaume Collet-Serra, the man who directed Neeson in action flicks like Non-Stop, Unknown, and The Commuter.

As for the screenplay, it's being penned by Chris Salmanpour (best known for his Black List script The Promise) and Andrew Baldwin (who wrote the Idris Elba flick The Take and the Jared Leto film The Outsider). Of course, if everybody's speaking English, then we've got to change the title: in its remade form, El Desconocido will be known as Retribution, which definitely sounds like an action movie starring Liam Neeson.

Uptown Saturday Night

Released in 1974, the original Uptown Saturday Night features a pretty impressive cast including Sidney Poitier, Richard Pryor, Harry Belafonte and a pre-scandal Bill Cosby. (Okay, so some are definitely more impressive than others.) The plot involves two buddies — Poitier and Cosby — who get held up after visiting a nightclub, and during the robbery, they lose a lottery ticket worth $50,000. Determined to get the ticket back, the duo start searching for the crooks who made off with their fortune. For a while, Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights, The Big Short) was supposed to direct the upcoming remake, and the lead roles were meant for Will Smith and Denzel Washington, which would've been incredible. Sadly, that never panned out, but now Kevin Hart is tackling the project. There's no word yet on who will star opposite him, but we do know Malcolm D. Lee (Girls Trip) is in talks to direct and the the screenplay will be written by Kenya Barris, the creator of Black-ish.

Cleopatra Jones

While not as famous as Pam Grier, Tamara Dobson left her mark on the blaxploitation genre with Cleopatra Jones, a kickass 1973 film about a woman who works as supermodel as a cover for her real job: When she's not modeling, she's actually working as spy for the U.S. government, trying to take down a female drug lord (Shelley Winters) and beating up bad guys with her karate skills. It's a pretty fun premise and perfect for a remake, and that's why Warner Bros. has hired Misha Green (creator of the WGN show Underground) to pen a script and create what Deadline calls "the female answer to James Bond."

Indecent Proposal

Directed by Adrian Lyne, Indecent Proposal was a hit '90s film that starred starred Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson as a loving couple who'd fallen on hard times. Their relationship is put to the test when Moore's character catches the eye of a billionaire played by Robert Redford. A guy who believes that money can buy anything, Redford offers the couple $1 million... if he can spend the night with Moore. Naturally, the couple has some pretty serious conversations about what they should do, and when it comes time to choose, Moore's decision turns her marriage upside down.

While the movie didn't really impress critics (it even won the Razzie for "Worst Picture"), this steamy drama excited moviegoers across the world, raking in $266 million. That was a huge deal in 1993, and now it looks like Paramount Players is hoping to bring some of that sex appeal back to the big screen. According to Collider, the studio has tapped screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson to adapt the film for modern audiences. Wilson is no stranger to when it comes to titillating dramas, as she's written screenplays for movies like The Girl on the Train, Chloe, and Secretary. Get the right cast, and this new Indecent Proposal has a decent chance of being a sensual sensation.

Grumpy Old Men

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are one of the all-time great comedy duos. The two starred in a whopping ten films together, including The Odd Couple and The Fortune Cookie. Then, of course, there's Grumpy Old Men, a 1993 comedy about two feuding neighbors who go to war when a gorgeous woman (Ann-Margret) moves into the neighborhood. The movie earned $70 million and further cemented the Lemmon/Matthau double act in the pop culture consciousness.

But now New Line plans on finding some new cranky grandpas, as Eddie Murphy is in talks to star in a remake. We're not sure if he's going to play the Lemmon or Matthau role yet, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, there's a rumor that Samuel L. Jackson might play the other grumpy old man. The film will be directed by Tim Story, who's made Barbershop, Ride Along, and the Jessica Alba-Chris Evans Fantastic Four movies.

According to THR, there's a chance the movie might get a completely different title, but the premise will stay the same. And honestly, watching Murphy and (maybe) Jackson trading barbs sounds pretty hilarious. Remakes are nothing new for Murphy, who's played in both Dr. Doolittle and The Nutty Professor, so here's hoping he can recapture some of that remake magic at the box office.

The Wild Bunch

One of the most controversial Westerns ever made, The Wild Bunch kicked up a lot of dust when it hit theaters in 1969. While today it's hailed as a classic, audiences at the time were appalled by the movie's brutal gunfights, balletic bloodbaths that are still pretty gnarly today. As for the plot, the film follows a group of aging outlaws who flee to Mexico after a heist gone wrong. They've got bounty hunters behind them, a psycho general in front of them, and civilization closing in all around them. And when they finally decide to make their final stand, that's when the squibs start popping and the bodies start dropping.

Now, it looks like the Wild Bunch is preparing for one more ride. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mel Gibson is set to direct and co-write (with Bryan Bagby) a Warner Bros. remake of the blood-soaked Western. The decision to get Gibson for the job has sparked quite a bit of debate, as the filmmaker has a history of domestic violence and anti-Semitic remarks. Controversy aside, The Wild Bunch remake is right up Gibson's alley, as he's always been fond of gore — just see Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto, and Hacksaw Ridge for proof — so chances are good he might top original director Sam Peckinpah when it comes to the carnage.

The Color Purple

The Color Purple has had a long and circular history. It started off as a Pulitzer-prize winning novel by Alice Walker. Then it was an Oscar-nominated film from Steven Spielberg. Then it was turned into a Tony-winning Broadway play. And now it's come back around to being a movie, only this time, it's bringing along those Broadway songs.

Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, music producer Quincy Jones, and Scott Sanders of Broadway fame are producing this musical take on the original film. Set in the Deep South, the plot follows a black woman named Celie as she struggles to overcome abuse at the hands of basically every man in her life. But despite the depressing premise, it's ultimately a story of triumph and hope.

The original film starred a Golden Globe-winning Whoopi Goldberg in the lead role, with co-star Oprah getting an Oscar nomination for her film debut, and the Broadway play starred a Tony Award-winning Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale) as the character of Celie. We don't know who's going to star in this musical remake, although casting Erivo would probably be a good idea.

Escape from New York

Released in 1981, Escape from New York is a post-apocalyptic classic, with Kurt Russell at his badass best as Snake Plissken. Set in the far-off and futuristic year of 1997, the film takes place in a world where Manhattan has been turned into one giant prison. And when the president's plane crashes in the middle of the Big Bad Apple, the government turns to Russell's eyepatched criminal for help.

There's been talk of a new version for quite some time, and at one point, there was a rumor that Robert Rodriguez might be involved. But now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century Fox has tapped Leigh Whannell to write a screenplay. Whannell helped co-create both the Saw and Insidious franchises, and he also directed the massively underrated sci-fi horror flick Upgrade. According to THR, Whannell's version will "retain elements of the original but bring new ideas to the table," all while avoiding "the bloated tentpole remake path that afflicted the reboots of other 1980s-era movies such as RoboCop and Total Recall." There's no word yet on who will direct, but word has it that if Whannell wants to do it, Fox will most likely let him.

Force Majeure

A dark comedy from Sweden, Force Majeure takes a seemingly happy family and then rips them apart with the force of an avalanche... literally. Directed by Ruben Östlund, this 2014 film follows a couple and their two kids as they're vacationing in the Alps. But their little ski trip takes a bleak turn when the father mistakes a controlled avalanche for the real deal and takes off running, leaving his family behind. Needless to say, this sets up quite a bit of tension between husband and wife.

Now, the Swedish film is getting an English-language remake, only the title is getting changed to Downhill. It will be directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, the Oscar-winning duo who wrote The Descendants and directed The Way Way Back, and the script is courtesy of Jesse Armstrong, the creator of HBO's Succession. As for the cast, Will Ferrell will star as the frightened father, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus will play the dismayed mother. There's no release date yet, but whenever Downhill slides into theaters, we hope it captures the hilariously dark tone of the original.

The Grudge

With her pale face and creepy black hair, Kayako Saeki has been haunting film fans for quite some time. The character originally appeared in 2000, in the first entry of the Ju-On franchise, and the third film in the series inspired an American remake: The Grudge. Following that critically maligned but financially successful horror flick, there were two more Grudge films, until the U.S. series seemingly vanished in 2009. (The Japanese series has been trucking right along.) But just like an evil curse, you can't truly escape a classic horror franchise or its iconically creepy villain.

As it turns out, there will be a reboot of the U.S. remake, simply titled Grudge and directed by Nicolas Pesce, who's got some horror experience under his belt with films like Piercing and The Eyes of My Mother. However, his take on the material will put a new spin on an old series. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Pesce explained that he's making a film that feels a lot like Seven, the David Fincher detective thriller. "There's a cop drama that drives the whole thing," Pesce said, "and Andrea [Riseborough] is the lead detective on this new case that they've come upon and is the driving force through the movie."

In addition to Riseborough (probably best known as the title character in Mandy), the film will star John Cho, Demian Bichir, Betty Gilpin, and Jacki Weaver. However, we'll have to wait a little while to see Pesce's "very different take on The Grudge" as the curse won't strike until January 3, 2020.

The Guilty

Directed by Gustav Möller, The Guilty is a Danish thriller that's earned quite a bit of praise from the critical community. It boasts a 99 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it won the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and the National Board of Review named it one of their best five foreign language films of 2018. Set in one location and told in real time, the plot follows a cop who's been assigned to desk duty after he falls under investigation. But things get tense when he receives a call from a kidnapped woman, forcing him to confront his own darkness in order to rescue her. Now, the highly acclaimed film is getting an English-language remake, with Jake Gyllenhaal set to produce and star. There's no word yet on the rest of the cast or who's directing this thing, but with Gyllenhaal in the lead, we're pretty sure The Guilty will be a remake worth watching.

Terrified

A horror flick from Argentina, Terrified totally lives up to its menacing title. Directed by Demian Rugna, this 2017 film takes place in the middle of your typical street in Buenos Aires... only this one happens to be the site of some seriously scary stuff. There are voices coming from sinks, bodies are floating around, and there's even a scary little zombie kid running around. Something evil is lurking about, and it's up to a group of paranormal researchers to stop the demonic force from spreading further into the city.

Praised for its truly effective jump scares, Terrified received a whole lot of critical acclaim, and now it's going to get an English-language remake. Guillermo del Toro is producing, Rugna is returning to direct, and Sacha Gervasi is writing the script. (He's also written films such as The Terminal and directed movies like Hitchcock and Anvil! The Story of Anvil.) We don't know yet when Terrified will hit theaters or who will star, but we're sure the finished product will be incredibly... you know... terrifying.

Thelma

Craig Gillespie has had quite an interesting filmography. He directed the indie rom-com Lars and the Real Girl, the disaster flick The Finest Hours, and the darkly comic biopic I, Tonya. He's also no stranger to remakes as he directed Fright Night, a new version of the 1985 vampire classic. And now, he's remaking another supernatural thriller, the 2017 film Thelma. This Norwegian horror movie follows a young woman who's grown up in a conservative Christian environment, but she starts discovering new things about herself when she begins attending university. For example, she realizes that she's attracted to women. She also learns that she's a powerful psychic who struggles to control her abilities. Needless to say, these realizations lead our young hero to some deadly and dangerous places. The screenplay will be written by playwright Christy Hall, and while we don't know who will star, we're interested to see if Gillespie's next project can match the critical acclaim of the original.

Woman at War

In addition to starring in classic films like Taxi Driver and The Silence of the Lambs, Jodie Foster has also directed quite a few movies, such as Little Man Tate, The Beaver, and Money Monster. She even directed the "Arkangel" episode of Black Mirror. Now, the Oscar winner is set to remake an Icelandic comedy-thriller titled Woman at War. The original 2018 film followed a music teacher who spends her spare time sabotaging a nearby aluminum company. Things get a bit complicated when her application to adopt a Ukrainian baby is approved. With motherhood looming and the cops closing in, she decides to end her eco-terrorist career with one last mission. Foster is switching the film's location from Iceland to the American west, and in addition to directing, she'll also be playing the lead. Foster has described the film as a having a "bold and quirky mixture of humor and emotion," and while Woman at War doesn't have a release date yet, we're interested to see where Foster takes this remake.

Forrest Gump

We all know life is like a box of chocolates, right? Or maybe it's like a box of gulab jamuns. We'll find out soon enough — Forrest Gump is about to get a Bollywood remake. Released in 1994, the original film starred Tom Hanks as the title character, who travels across America during the '60s and '70s. Along the way, he plays a part in major historical events like the Vietnam War and the Watergate break-in, and he meets some influential figures like John Lennon and Elvis Presley. The original was the highest-grossing film of 1994, and it netted six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor.

In other words, this remake has some very big shoes to fill, but chances are good it's going to run, Forrest, run to the top of the Bollywood box office. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new film will be titled Lal Singh Chadha, and it will star Aamir Khan in the lead role. While that name might not sound familiar to Western audiences, Khan is a huge deal in India. In fact, he starred in the highest-grossing Indian film of all time, a wrestling picture called Dangal. Khan has said he was drawn to the project because he loves the original script and because it's "a feel-good film... for the whole family." The remake has a tentative release date for 2020, and at the moment, that's all we have to say about that.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Well, it looks like the pod people are gearing up for another attack. In July 2017, Deadline announced that Warner Bros. is planning an Invasion of the Body Snatchers remake with the help of producer John Davis (Predator, Chronicle, and I, Robot). This is the fifth film inspired by Jack Finney's classic novel, and while that might sound like a bit much, Body Snatchers is the perfect kind of movie for a reboot.

With its eerie aliens and infectious paranoia, filmmakers have used Invasion's creepy plot to address all sorts of cultural fears, from communist witch hunts and 1970s cults to the military and...whatever the 2007 movie is about. In these contentious times, it'll be interesting to see what modern-day topic screenwriter David Leslie Johnson will tackle (terrorism? white supremacy? mass shootings?), but whatever he chooses, at least he's got plenty of Hollywood experience.

Johnson has written screenplays for frightening flicks like Orphan, The Conjuring 2, and the upcoming Conjuring 3, not to mention Wrath of the Titans. There aren't any updates yet on who will star, but rest assured, they're coming...they're coming.

Nosferatu

Before Twilight or Salem's Lot, Blade or Bela Lugosi's Dracula, there was Nosferatu, the first full-length vampire movie. Directed by F.W. Murnau, this German horror classic starred Max Schreck as the rat-like Count Orlok, an undead demon who sent audiences into hysterics in 1922. The movie still works incredibly well today, and as it's considered one of the best silent films ever made (featuring one of the all-time horror movie moments), it would take somebody with a lot of chutzpah to attempt a remake...somebody like Robert Eggers.

At first glance, Eggers might seem kind of cocky for wanting to put his own spin on such a classic, especially since he's only made one previous movie. Of course, that one movie is The Witch, perhaps the freakiest film in recent memory. Thanks to Eggers, The Witch is a master class in atmosphere and slow-burning dread, which is exactly what you want for Nosferatu. So if somebody's going to remake Murnau's movie, Eggers is definitely the man for the job.

It isn't just the director we're super excited about. According to Variety, Eggers is re-teaming with Anya Taylor-Joy, the actress who wowed everybody with her performance as Thomasin in The Witch. (She was also the protagonist in Split and will show up in M. Night Shyamalan's sequel, Glass.) At the moment, no one knows who'll she play, but some theorize Taylor-Joy will star as Ellen Hutter, the unlucky woman who becomes Orlok's number one target. 

Unfortunately, the movie might take a little while to reach the big screen. Eggers is currently working on another horror film called The Lighthouse, so his schedule is pretty busy. And when asked about the film (according to Bloody Disgusting), Taylor-Joy said that "hopefully" they would get a chance to make the movie together. Here's hoping that despite all the delays, Eggers' vampire pic remains undead.

The Invisible Man

One of the classic Universal movie monsters (along with the likes of Dracula, the Mummy, and the Bride of Frankenstein), the Invisible Man first frightened moviegoers in 1933. Universal recently hoped to bring the mad scientist back to theaters as part of their ill-fated "Dark Universe," with Johnny Depp in the titular role. Of course, that franchise fell apart after Tom Cruise's The Mummy bombed at the box office.

But now, Universal is giving The Invisible Man another go. Only this time, they're teaming up with Blumhouse, the production company behind films like Get Out, Split, and The Purge. On top of all that, Leigh Whannell is writing and directing. If that name sounds familiar, he's the guy who helped co-create the Saw and Insidious series, and he also directed the action-horror hybrid, Upgrade.

Unlike the previous attempt at creating an Invisible Man movie, this one isn't intended as part of a larger cinematic universe. And unfortunately for Johnny Depp fans, he won't be returning for this film. Instead, Blumhouse is going for a totally different vibe. Producer Jason Blumhouse says this new take on The Invisible Man will be a low-budget film that won't be "dependent on special effects, CGI, stunts. It's super character-driven. It's really compelling, it's thrilling, it's edgy, it feels new." While we don't know who's playing the lead or when the film will be released, we're excited to see (or not see?) what The Invisible Man has in store.

Rebecca

Hailed as the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock directed some of Hollywood's greatest thrillers, and one of his creepiest classics is Rebecca. Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, this Gothic tale follows a young woman (Joan Fontaine) who marries a wealthy yet mysterious widower (Laurence Olivier) but finds married life is a little more difficult than she expected. After moving to her husband's seaside mansion, she discovers he's still haunted by the memory of his dead first wife, Rebecca. She also realizes her husband's malicious housekeeper isn't too thrilled to have someone taking Rebecca's place. In fact, the housekeeper might even have murder on her mind.

Now, nearly 80 years after the original, Rebecca is getting a remake courtesy of Netflix, and they're getting Ben Wheatley to direct. Wheatley is the twisted mind behind some seriously messed-up movies like Kill List, High-Rise, Free Fire, and A Field in England, so there's a really good chance this could be even darker than Hitchcock's original adaptation. As for the cast, Lily James (Downton Abbey, Cinderella, Baby Driver) will the play the lead, and Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name, The Lone Ranger, The Social Network) will star as her brooding husband. There's no word yet on who will play the terrifying housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, but whoever Wheatley casts, she'll have pretty big shoes to fill. After all, the original Mrs. Danvers (played by Judith Anderson) has been hailed by the American Film Institute as the 31st greatest movie villain of all-time, beating out the likes of Freddy Krueger, Hans Gruber, and Cruella De Vil.