With the box office back in full swing in 2022, Hollywood is proving that nature is healing as the remakes of Firestarter and Salem's Lot look to haunt audiences this summer. Blumhouse Pictures
With that in mind (and more undoubtedly on the way), I've decided to take an optimistic look at remakes by examining and showcasing the 25 best remakes throughout the history of horror!
25. Night of the Living Dead (1990)The directorial debut of SFX maestro, Tom Savini, the remake of Night of the Living Dead lives up to the namesake of its predecessor while using inspired modern technical and visual effects flourishes unavailable to the original film.
Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Collection 24. Child’s Play (2019)This 2019 remake of Child's Play wisely departs from the supernatural elements of the original series in exchange for a more original "A.I. toys run amok" concept that allows it to shake off that "horror remake" stigma and run wild during its nastier bits.
Orion Pictures / Lifestyle pictures / Alamy 23. The Last House on the Left (2009)This slick and suspenseful remake of Wes Craven's exploitation classic eases up on the unrepentant sleaze and sadism of the first film while still injecting Last House on the Left with memorably brutal ends for the film's extremely despicable villains.
Rogue Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection 22. The Mummy (1999)Riding the line between adventure film and horror, a la Jaws or Underwater , the 1999 remake of The Mummy is pure big budget genre entertainment from start to finish.
Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection 21. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)Alexandre Aja's first English-language effort remains one of the most thrilling horror remakes of its era, offering new scares and bloody excitement while remaining exceptionally faithful to the source material.
20th Century Fox / Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection 20. Suspiria (2018)It may be far more surreal, contemplative, and art house friendly than the bedazzling nightmare of Dario Argento's original, but there's little denying that there's nothing quite like Luca Guadagnino's harrowing and perversely singular take on Suspiria .
Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection 19. Black Christmas (2006)The core creative team behind The X-Files and Final Destination pull no punches with this vile and violent remake of Bob Clark's slasher pioneer, though its unabashed approach to its innovative kills, ghastly gore, and transgressive subject matter are commendable.
MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection 18. The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)While the original is far from an essential in the horror movie lexicon, this meta remake justifies the mirroring of certain more outrageous kill sequences. Furthermore, director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon brings a visually engaging style to the film that controls and transforms the atmosphere at his whim.
Blumhouse / YouTube 17. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)Laced with paranoia and tension, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is the first "modern" horror remake to possibly out-do its predecessor; in fact, its shocking finale remains one of the most iconic and effective endings in horror movie history.
United Artists / Courtesy Everett Collection 16. Let Me In (2010)While matching the eerie excellence of Let the Right One In seemed like an impossible task, Matt Reeves' Let Me In did an legitimately effective job of emulating the unique blend of drama and horror from its Scandinavian inspiration.
Overture Films / Courtesy Everett Collection 15. House of Wax (2005)Dark Castle Entertainment used their macabre magic (and a solid screenplay from The Conjuring writers, Chad and Carey Hayes) to craft this twisted and terrifying update of the classic 1953 Vincent Price chiller.
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection 14. The Crazies (2010)Breck Eisner's take on an underrated George A. Romero property ended up turning heads among horror fans, as many argued that this suspenseful and scary retelling may be the definitive version of this story.
Overture Films / Courtesy Everett Collection 13. The Invisible Man (2020)Modern horror master, Leigh Whannell, offers an unbelievably intense remake of The Invisible Man that allows you to question every lingering shot as if you're in the shoes of the gaslighted lead.
Universal Pictures / Goalpost Pictures / Blumhouse Productions / Dark Universe / Prod DB / Alamy 12. Thir13en Ghosts (2001)A little mythology goes a long way in Dark Castle's revamp of Thir13en Ghosts , which utilizes incredible creature and production design, as well as a cast of character-acting greats, to make one of the more fun-filled fright films on this list.
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection 11. My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)Trashy, gory, and absolutely enthusiastic to make chaotic use of its native 3D cinematography, My Bloody Valentine is a bloody bash that operates at a leaner and meaner pace than the original cult favorite.
LIONSGATE / Album / Alamy 10. The Blob (1988)Director Chuck Russell and SFX guru, Tony Gardner, expertly crafted this icky yet visually astounding remake of the kitschy '50s horror offering of the same name.
Tristar Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection 9. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)To bring the story of Dracula back to the big screen, Francis Ford Coppola used every fancy technical trick afforded to a filmmaker of his pedigree, eventually turning in an A-list adaptation with practical effects that still amazes audiences 30 years later.
Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection 8. Dawn of the Dead (2004)While remaking a masterpiece like Dawn of the Dead could be a no-win situation in the hands of lesser filmmakers, Zack Snyder's brash direction and James Gunn's subversive script helped create a wildly different beast than horror fans expected...and shockingly embraced.
Universal Pictures / Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy 7. House on Haunted Hill (1999)Director William Malone turns the campy classic, House on Haunted Hill, into a rather bone-chilling and grisly endeavor with this well-cast and inventive 1999 remake.
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection 6. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)Michael Bay might have been incredibly hit-or-miss with his Platinum Dunes horror remakes, but his take on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a home run on many levels, from the goosebump-raising set pieces to the unsettling atmosphere piercing through every frame.
New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection 5. Maniac (2012)Elijah Wood takes on one of his most sinister roles ever in Franck Khalfoun's depraved yet transfixing remake of Bill Lustig's creepy cult classic about prowling serial killer who collects women's scalps to work out his childhood psychological trauma.
IFC Midnight / Courtesy Everett Collection 4. The Fly (1986)The Fly is considered by many as the "quintessential" remake, mining romance and emotional drama from the occasionally silly original film while taking advantage of its imaginative conceit to create some of the most impressive (and revolting) SFX of all time, courtesy of filmmaker, David Cronenberg, and effects supervisor, Chris Walas.
20th Century Fox Film Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection 3. Evil Dead (2013)It is fairly unbelievable to remind myself that the harsh and horrific Evil Dead remake was the directorial debut for Fede Alvarez, who had something to prove to the fans of the series by flipping their expectations and delivering a far more grim film than the franchise's last entry.
Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection 2. The Ring (2002)Before he set sail with the Pirates of the Caribbean , Gore Verbinski brought the Japanese horror hit Ringu to the US with remarkably spine-tingling results.
Dreamworks Pictures / Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy 1. The Thing (1982)John Carpenter fires on every cylinder with his era-appropriate update of The Thing from Another World , having ultimately created one of the best horror films ever that remains endlessly quotable, phenomenally petrifying and distinctively distressing.
Universal Pictures / Collection Christophel / Alamy View comments