Everything Old is New Again

They say what goes around comes around, and nowhere is that more evident than the movie industry. It seems all the classics of previous generations have been reinvented, rewritten, and re-filmed. Some of them more than once.

While a part of me (the part which will forever remain an innocent child who viewed movies with wonder and awe) laments the pollution of precious memories, another part of me is thrilled to see these old classics brought into modern times. I get to discover the characters and their stories all over again.

So, what blasts from the past will be getting a facelift and heading to a theater near you this year? Check out the list below:

Overboard -

This super-cute RomCom from 1987 starred Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn milking their on-screen chemistry for everything it’s worth (original trailer here). I must have seen it a dozen times in my girlhood, idolizing the tough, take-no-shit attitude of Hawn’s pampered-princess-turned-reluctant mom character and completely ignoring the glaring issues with consent, fraud, and kidnapping on the part of Russell’s man’s man.

In this gender-flipped remake, I’m not entirely sure the issues with consent and kidnapping have been resolved, but today’s audiences are far less likely to balk at the exploitation of the male character than they surely would have had the screenwriters stayed true to the original script. Catch the trailer for Overboard, starring Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez here.

Winnie the Pooh -

Every generation of children for the last 90 years has been re-introduced to the iconic figure of Winnie the Pooh. I can remember watching old videos when I was a wee nipper and seeing ads for new releases of Pooh fun every few years. My husband still has the Pooh teddy bear from when he was a baby. People from 0-99 harbor a never-ending affection for the polite, unobtrusive bear and his simplistic wisdom. I, of course, was a die-hard fan of Eeyore. That depressed, self-criticizing, slow-moving lump is my spirit animal.

Well, the time has come again for yet another Winnie the Pooh tale to pull heartstrings and gain a new horde of toddler followers. Yet, this time the target audience are those nostalgic adults silently weeping for a return to their youthful innocence. In this version, Christopher Robin is a sad-sack adult losing sight of his principles, and the denizens of the Hundred Acre Wood must restore his vivre for life and his willingness to stand up for what’s right. Starring Ewan McGregor, it’s sure to be a sappy tear-fest for every adult whose ever betrayed their personal beliefs for personal gain and regretted it. Watch the trailer here.

Scarface -

For over thirty years, Scarface was a must-see for any mobster movie fan. It was the role that made Al Pacino famous and brought us the eponymous line “Say hello to my little friend” (useful in so many situations). At the time of its release, it was gritty, dark, a bold look at the glamorous life on the wrong side of the law. It’s an icon. The trailer hardly does it justice. Now, it’s getting a new look.

From the trailer, this Leonardo DiCaprio-led movie seems to embody the same dark, doesn’t look away, grittiness of the original film. It’s intense, full of all the glamor, crime, and swag one would expect from a mobster movie. And DiCaprio never shies away from roles steeped in sheer emotion, his powerful charisma bleeding from the screen. Ben Affleck also stars, and I’m eager to see if his usually low-key and restrained performance plays well with the script and cast. I’ve been a fan of crime flicks since before it was parentally advised to be so. This one promises to set the bar for future releases.

Robin Hood -

Hold on to your bows and arrows, it’s time for everyone’s favorite noble outlaw again. We’ve had tons of Robin Hood movies, from Douglas Fairbanks as the title character in 1922, Errol Flynn’s portrayal in 1938, Kevin Costner in 1991, Cary Elwes in 1993, Russell Crowe in 2010, and hundreds in-between. We just can’t get enough of the swashbuckling, smart-talking, do-gooding marksman and his band of merry men, with or without tights.

The newest incarnation of Lord Locksley is played by Taron Egerton, who has already proved his action-hero chops in the Kingsman films. Jamie Foxx, Jamie Dornan, and Eve Hewson will play his supporting cast, with Ben Mendelsohn playing the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham who looks like he stole his wardrobe from Littlefinger’s closet. I haven’t been able to track down a legit trailer yet, but the movie stills show some stunning costumes and set design. Get ready for an action-packed ride through Sherwood Forest this fall.

For more 2018 remake releases, check out this article. Tell me what you think. Which movie remake are you looking forward to?