Reboots are a dime a dozen. Seriously, throw a rock out your car window going 80 on the interstate and you’ll probably hit one. And we’re not even talking about the endless parade of revivals crowding onto the small screen. We’re talking movie mulligans. The controversial entertainment category that’s become a bankable trend ever since Ocean’s 11 accidentally spawned a billion-dollar franchise (with no end in sight).
In fact, there have been over 100 movie reboots (and counting) since Brad Pitt, hoovering a cheeseburger, picked George Clooney up from prison. From the rise of Batman to the obscure resurrection of Free Willy, we’ve seen our fair share of cinematic redos. And while it’s true that most reboots have left us scratching our heads and contemplating a refund from the time lord, there are a few occasions when they’ve succeeded beyond our wildest expectations.
It’s also true what they say: Dig enough holes and you’re bound to strike gold. So grab a shovel and strap in for ten movie reboots no one asked for that thankfully outshined their original.
Cover Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
Best Movie Reboots
-
'Batman Begins' - 2005
The entire superhero takeover can be traced back to one man: Batman. Ironically, Cristopher Nolan's version of the caped crusader flopped at the box office, earning less than double its budget. But its legacy lives on in what it did for comic book IP. For the first time in cinema history, men in tights were taken seriously. They were given emotional depth, adult problems, artful storytelling, and a tonal darkness that had been unthinkable up to this point. Batman Begins paved the way for a billion-dollar sequel and arguably, the birth of the entire MCU. Depending on your perspective on superheroes that's not such a good thing. But no one can argue this film isn't a reboot for the ages.
-
'Dune' - 2021
Despite its distracting score and anticlimactic ending, Dune is one of the most faithful cinematic recreations of a book ever made. Based on the epochal novel written by Frank Herbert (published in 1965), Dune is the kind of epic sci-fi holy scripture no one believed could be adapted into a movie. Just look at David Lynch's 1985 stab at it. That movie was so ill-received, critics called it a career-ender. Of course, it wasn't all bad. But the film only succeeds as much as it does because of its Lynchian dreamscapes that meander from the source material. And while Denis Villeneuve's blockbuster version is by no means a perfect movie, compared to the original, it sets the stage for potentially the best two-part epic since Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen.
-
'The Thing' - 1982
John Carpenter's The Thing is a masterwork of horror that slaughtered the 1952 original The Thing From Another World. Based on a sci-fi novella, Carpenter's reimagining of the tale of an alien who insidiously overtakes an Antarctic crew one by one (by parasitically seizing their minds) works as both a gorefest and psychological screwdriver. With scoring by Ennio Morricone, the film panned by critics upon release has slowly worked its way into the pantheon of movie masterpieces. So much so, that Blumhouse Productions (the guys behind Get Out, Paranormal Activity, etc.) is planning another reboot with John Carpenter attached. Dare we say it will be the best one yet?
-
'Casino Royale' - 2006
It's no secret that James Bond is unkillable. In fact, the franchise has been rebooted more times than a Dell computer running Windows 8. And while everyone has their favorite iteration of Bond, there's something about Daniel Craig's 007 that stands apart from the pack. No doubt it has less to do with his dazzling blue eyes than the stunning redux that masterfully staged a fresh new era of secret agenting. Casino Royale captured all the best tropes of Bond and subverted them with a wink while simultaneously classing up the joint. With better dialogue, art design, action sequences, and acting, Casino Royale ditched the camp for a decidedly sexier, moodier approach. Obviously, the bet paid off, with Daniel Craig overtaking Roger Moore as the longest-lasting Bond in the franchise's 60-year history.
-
'Bonnie and Clyde' - 1967
Warren Beatty's Bonnie and Clyde is such a staggering classic, most people don't even realize the story of America's most infamous lovebird criminals had been told several times before. Yet the Vietnam War-era reboot took a unique approach, turning the freewheeling robbers from Depression-ravaged innocents into garden variety killers. For the first time, pop culture evil was born out of boredom, not strife. This epiphany rocked the American psyche and helped kickoff the antihero age of cinema. Think Easy Rider, Taxi Driver, and everything Jack Nicholson did in the 70s. But the film's insight into the cultural curve reached far outside of cinema. Two years later, the Manson Family arrived on Cielo Drive.
-
'The Mummy' - 1999
Long considered a poor man's version of Indiana Jones, Brendan Frasier's The Mummy traces its roots back to a 1932 film of the same name. Starring the great Boris Karloff as the titular undead guy searching for lost love, the original is a monster movie for the ages made in the early days of Hollywood. Nearly 70 years later, The Mummy was brought back to life, this time as a tongue-in-cheek action film, replete with outsized set pieces and the best mummy sandstorm chase since actual 2500 BC. And who can forget Rachel Weisz as the gorgeously clever muse, Evelyn O'Connell? An amusement park ride of a movie not to be watched without copious candies and popcorn.
-
'Spider-Man: Homecoming' - 2017
Before Tom Holland, Spider-Man was an A-List hero getting B-List treatment. While the various incarnations of the web-slinger were no slouches, Spider-Man: Homecoming finally got the casting right. For the first time, Spidey's age and sense of humor felt spot on. And with Michael Keaton's Vulture, the curse of the goofy villain was lifted. The writing leveled up too. Using The Avengers as a springboard for Peter Parker's origin story allowed his newfound abilities to face more creative challenges with a clear trajectory. Altogether, it delivered the best live-action reboot of Spider-Man we've seen to date. (For the best Spidey ever, see the animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.)
-
'Mad Max: Fury Road' - 2015
With visionary style and insane car chases filmed at high speeds, George Miller's original 1979 Mad Max is a bonafide classic. Not only did it make $100 million off a shoestring budget of $350,000, but it also launched a successful franchise of its own, turning lead actor Mel Gibson into an international star. And yet, despite its reputation as a cult favorite, the reboot somehow managed to one-up the original on all fronts. How is this possible? Start with crediting director Miller's return, along with massive improvements in budget and special effects technology, for the film's artistic success. Then add in the dynamic arc of Imperator Furiosa, and you have an altogether more complex, more compelling picture equal to the rarest thing on earth: The perfect reboot.
-
'True Grit' - 2010
Say what you will about John Wayne, the SOB made some great movies. And his 1969 portrayal of the irascible Rooster Cogburn remains one of the most endearing performances of his Western oeuvre. That said, when you take the story of a 14-year-old girl hellbent on avenging her father's murder and put it in the hands of the Coen brothers, you get a near-perfect film. The dialogue slaps. Roger Deakin's cinematography drips from the screen like a fresh oil painting. Matt Damon's tagalong Ranger is so funny, he'll split your ribs before breaking your heart. And Jeff Bridge's Cogburn is the quietly layered vision of a deeply flawed man - a redemption story you can really spike home. But the real genius of the film is Hailee Steinfeld and the Coen's ability to zero in on her resolve to exemplify what true grit is all about. The result is an unassuming masterpiece and a reminder of why Westerns are still one of the great forms of cinema.
-
'Ocean's 11' - 2001
We couldn't get out of this list without officially including Ocean's 11. In defense of the original, the movie was nothing more than a fun excuse for Rat Pack friends to hang out and get paid to make a popcorn flick. And while the George Clooney reboot came together in pretty much the same fashion, it has auteur Steven Soderbergh at the helm. Soderbergh elevates the game, keeping all the charm, good fun, and irreverent drama while layering it with honest performances and a complex heist that manages to juggle its dozen balls in the air without dropping a single one. And did we mention it spawned a franchise that grossed over a billion dollars worldwide? If you're sick and tired of Rebootlandia, blame this star-studded and highly entertaining rollick through the bright sides of Las Vegas. Speaking of bright sides, at least one out of every ten reboots outshines the original. Hey, could be worse.
