The art of the horror movie genre is an experience that audiences have embraced since the beginning of theater. The machete-wielding slashers, jump scares, and paranormal entities haunt the screens and fuel fans' adrenaline. Movie remakes are not a rare occurrence in the entertainment world and some would have been marked Do Not Resuscitate if studios had asked the public.
But there are plenty of horror movies that fans do wish would get a cinematic renovation. Whether it's modernizing the storyline or updating classics with today's incredible special effects, the vast community of Reddit had plenty of suggestions of what movies could be remade to the best horror films of all time.
Urban Legend
Redditor Chanel7482 expressed that a remake of the 1998 cult classic, Urban Legend, "would be cute!" This unique take on the slasher genre is Scream meets I Know What You Did Last Summer. The original kind of went under the radar but featured well-known stars like Jared Leto, Joshua Jackson, Tara Reid, and Robert Englund.
A string of bizarre deaths and their apparent homages to popular urban legends rattles a college campus. A remake of this film incorporating modern urban legends, and the technology that s debates of them, would be a hit with horror fans.
People Under The Stairs
Reddit the prolific horror movie director Wes Craven's People Under the Stairs "is a good choice" and they "would love to see a well done reboot of that." The plot centers on three people breaking into a house where they encounter a brother and sister who have hidden their stolen children there and the intruders must fight for their lives.
A remake of this creepy and unsettling movie presents a plethora of options with the plot. Fans who are unfamiliar with the original would be able to enjoy the story all the same. The premise of not knowing what disturbing secrets lurk behind normal-looking homes will never get old.
Gremlins
Gremlins has been an absolute classic in the horror genre, comedy genre, and is even one of the best Christmas horror movies since its 1984 release. 86AllFood is just one of many who are rooting for a remake with the escalation to an R-rated version because they "know it was intended for an R-rating, but then Spielberg ET'd all over it." perhaps with more sinister consequences when they're fed after midnight.
The little furry creatures are still immensely popular today and even appear in marketing ads for major products. It's surprising that a reboot of the successful movie franchise has not happened yet.
Death Machine
Redditor InkuBuddy said they "wouldn't mind seeing" a remake of the 1994 sci-fi horror Death Machine. Starring Brad Dourif (Lord of the Rings), this revenge tale brings in the always fun mad genius on a rampage. Cue his killer robots and cyborgs to amp up the tension.
This plot is an especially great remake opportunity because of today's special effects and the popularity of artificial intelligence as a threat angle. The protagonist's targets are corporate bigwigs too, which are always hits with audiences.
The Changeling
The lesser-known, and perhaps forgotten by many, film The Changeling was given a mention by Oloco36aguco emphasizing how terrifying it could be, "It wasn't really an FX film so I'd be scared to see what a redo would look like." The plot follows a traditional haunted house story of a music professor moving into a long-vacant house after the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter. A paranormal presence drags the professor into a decades-old mystery and horror ensues.
Today's haunted house movies have become unfortunately diluted in a lot of cases and fans often feel like they've seen the same movie over and over again. However, the original 1980 version of The Changeling is among the best supernatural horror movies. This plot definitely has remake potential, but something innovative and unique would need to be implemented to really hook the audience.
Silver Bullet
Redditor Edgar-Allen-No pointed out that a remake of Silver Bullet would be awesome because "a more modern sensibility with better visual effects could do well." The original film stars Gary Busey as the surprising and unlikely hero along with Corey Haim (The Goonies) whose small town is being plagued by brutal killings.
This remake would be a very refreshing addition to the werewolf genre because of its darkness and non-YA premise. In addition, the special effects creators have today could design a werewolf that's so realistic, viewers make just think the beast is coming for them.
Motel Hell
Another 1980s horror with an evil brother-sister duo, Motel Hell was suggested by Stngr_Gnr7212 as something they'd like a remake of because "this movie always haunts me." Not only does the movie play on travel anxieties with the villains capturing their guests, but it also brings cannibalism into the mix with their victims being the prime ingredient to their "special meat" they're so famous for.
The modernization of this plot absolutely has great cinematic potential. Horror fans love body gore, as evidenced by the popularity of franchises like Saw and Hostel, and a remake of Motel Hell could those prolific films.
Scanners
According to the best horror movie directors among fans, David Cronenberg (The Fly), Scanners is a horror science-fiction film that follows a fight between good and evil through telepathy.
The hit ended up having a second and third installment, which could potentially follow a well-done remake. There's no doubt that the special effects filmmakers have today would enable a stunning rendition of this psychic power-driven plot.
Prince Of Darkness
From horror legend and creator of Halloween's Michael Myers, John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness is a remake that Johnnygee70 wants "to see more of the future world from those dream transmissions." A classic tale of an ancient discovery gone wrong, a canister, containing a mysterious liquid, leaks and threatens all of mankind.
This is definitely a plot that horror fans can get behind and knowing that the original had the creativity of being written and directed by John Carpenter would draw a significant crowd. As with many on this list, the current special effects would make this remake awesome.
Hellraiser
Hellraiser is an absolute horror classic with several sequels featuring the prolific Pinhead villain. _Alchemist_ hit the nail (or pin) on the head with wanting this remake in the works, but only mentions the title without explanation. The premise is based on a novella entitled The Hellbound Heart, written by the first film's director, Clive Barker (Candyman).
Lucky for the many who agree that Hellraiser needs a remake, there actually is a reboot in the works and set to come out this year. The plot is being kept under wraps, but this go-around will feature a female Pinhead played by Jamie Clayton (Sense8) and is directed by David Bruckner (Creepshow).
