Yahoo News 19 classic '90s movies that are getting a reboot
Since the dawn of cinema Hollywood has been rehashing ideas. But with the reboot-revisit-remake craze that has engulfed the entertainment industry lately, it's looking like the creativity – or at least the will to innovate – may have truly run dry.
But it's not just on the small screen where the need for nostalgia is strong – just get your chops around all the classic movies from the '90s receiving a modern do-over, proving nothing from our childhoods is sacred…
1. Four Weddings and a Funeral
1990s cinema can be defined by many things, one of those being Hugh Grant playing the same bumbling Brit in every romcom on the circuit. One of his biggest hits at the box office was Four Weddings and a Funeral, so it's no surprise a remake is in the works at Hulu, with Mindy Kaling and Matt Warburton attached as writers.
Although Kaling won't be starring, Jessica Williams, Nikesh Patel, Rebecca Rittenhouse and John Reynolds have all joined the cast. And it looks like the episodic spin on the classic comedy will be staying true to the original by following a group of pals whose lives intersect at five life-changing events.
The question now is whether the modern version will contain quite so many "f**ks". We'll just have to wait to find out when it hits the streamer some time next year.
Meanwhile, we have a sequel – of sorts – to look forward to.
2. The Sandlot
As the 1993 coming-of-age classic taught us, there are heroes and there are legends – heroes get remembered, but legends never die.
This certainly rings true for The Sandlot. On the movie's 25th anniversary, director David Mickey revealed how a young writer named Austin Reynolds inspired him to breathe new life into the franchise, with the pair co-writing a prequel to the iconic baseball film that will show the backstory of the team.
Details on the plot are pretty sparse, but rumour has it the story involves the legend of the beast from the first iteration.
3. Starship Troopers
Despite the fact that director of the original Paul Verhoeven reckons it's a terrible idea, Columbia Pictures announced it is rebooting the 1997 sci-fi Starship Troopers, and has reportedly snapped up Baywatch writers Mark Swift and Damian Shannon to pen the script.
While we've seen no updates since the announcement two years ago, it looks like the bugs will be back in the near future. Yay?
4. American Psycho
With Trump's America in full force, what better time to give Bret Easton Ellis' yuppy horror a revisit. It's understandable that Lionsgate's do-over has outraged the fans, but one person who's stoked about it is the author himself.
Ellis was famously never too pleased with Mary Harron's adaptation, and was the first to challenge the naysayers and become a champion of the remake, taking to Twitter to state: "Haters beware: I just had a long discussion with Noble Jones, the writer/director of the 'new' American Psycho movie. His take is genuine." High praise indeed.
5. She's All That
Those behind the remake of the original 1999 romcom have a hefty job on their hands. While the film needs to stay true to the original, it's also got to avoid the '90s trope whereby an unattractive geek can transform into a mega-babe simply by taking off her glasses and changing her hair.
By the looks of things, it's proved difficult so far – since the announcement back in 2015, updates on the project have been few and far between. We won't hold our breath.
6. High Fidelity
The heartbreak movie for people who used music to get through bad break-ups, High Fidelity starred John Cusack as a record-store owner reflecting on his failed romances.
The story will return in an episodic gender-swapped format in 2019, with Ugly Betty's Veronica West and Sarah Kucserka penning the script and the original writer Scott Rosenberg on board as a producer. Get ready for more melancholic comedy, romantic sentiments and (hopefully) a killer soundtrack to back it.
7. The Craft
Responsible for "light as a feather, stiff as a board" being on the agenda of every sleepover party, The Craft was a defining film of the '90s. The goth teen weirdo within you will be stoked to know that a sequel is on the way, which will take place two decades after the events of the first film.
Not much else is known at this stage, although writer Daniel Casey did say that a script was submitted late last year. Let's wait and see if he, alongside director Leigh Janiak, can capture the magic of the original.
8. I Know What You Did Last Summer
We saw I Know What You Did Last Summer. We marvelled at I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. Now ready yourself for the 2018 update: I Really Do Still Know What You Did Last Summer…
Just kidding. That said, a revisit of the slasher film franchise is not off the cards, with Jason Blum recently expressing interest in resurrecting Jim Gillespie's 1997 slasher. Because as the film taught us, some things don't stay buried forever.
9. Indecent Proposal
Although it doesn't seem like the kind of film that would go down too well in the current climate, Paramount Players has hired The Girl on the Train's writer to pen the script of an Indecent Proposal remake. The 1993 original starred Robert Redford as a billionaire who offers David (Woody Harrelson) one million dollars to spend a night with his wife, Diana (Demi Moore).
We'll see what the #MeToo critics have to say about this one.
10. Mulan
Disney's 1998 Mulan was ahead of its time for many reasons, so it's no surprise the film is getting a live-action remake from the House of Mouse. Fans of the original were outraged to learn earlier this year that the remake won't be including bisexual icon Li Shang, who falls in love with the titular character both when she is disguised as a male soldier and when she's a woman.
New character Chen Honghui will take his place – hopefully he's a worthy replacement.
11. Hocus Pocus
Hubble, bubble, we foresee trouble – the Disney Channel is remaking the cult classic Hocus Pocus without the fabulous trio Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker or Kathy Najimy.
Oh yeah, and original director Kenny Ortega isn't involved in the project to boot. Is this just a shameless cash grab from the House of Mouse, or will the studio conjure up some magic with the remake? Time will tell, but the outlook so far is not great.
12. Sister Act
Similarly to Hocus Pocus, the brains behind the Sister Act remake have committed blasphemy by leaving out the show's main stars. Yes, Whoopi Goldberg is starring, but she's only got a cameo.
To add salt to the wound, the original idea pitched by Disney was to created a threequel, but instead they recently decided to make the film a straight-up rehash, much to the dismay of the franchise's fandom.
Audiences have been calling for a Sister Act 3 for years, so it's a kick in the teeth that Disney won't be giving them what they want and the remake won't centre around the world's favourite fictional nun, Deloris Van Cartier. Womp, womp.
13. Aladdin
Another of Disney's live-action remakes will introduce viewers to a whole new world of adventures upon its release on May 24, 2019. Directed by Guy Ritchie and featuring the talents of Will Smith, Billy Magnussen, Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud, Aladdin will introduce an entire slate of fantastical new songs while playing on the plot of the original.
However, the movie has been mired in controversy since its announcement. In addition to who's been cast in the key roles, many are skeptical about the return of a franchise that has come under scrutiny over the years for Orientalism. So yeah, it's safe to say the film is anticipated – but for some it's not in a favourable light.
14. White Men Can't Jump
"Perhaps we need a remake of White Men Can't Jump?" said no one ever. Nevertheless, it's happening and to be fair, the film's got a cracking team behind it who could no doubt score a few slam dunks along the way.
Black-ish creator Kenya Barrisis teaming up with athletes Blake Griffin and Ryan Kalil to make a new version of the 1992 sleeper hit comedy, about a pair of con artists who team up to hustle opponents in Los Angeles. We haven't heard much else about the project since its announcement early last year, so keep your eyes peeled on more to come.
15. Jacob's Ladder
The psychological horror Jacob's Ladder didn't exactly kill it in the box office, but its disturbing storyline, twisted imagery and phenomenal cast led the film to become a cult classic in its own right. Which is why the fanbase aren't too happy about the forthcoming reboot of the same name.
Regardless of the backlash, the film is shot and set for a February 2019 release, with David M. Rosenthal at the helm and Michael Ealy, Jesse Williams and Nicole Beharie starring. We'll have to wait and see whether it respects Adrian Lyne's nightmarish original when it hits theatres next year.
16. Cube
Cube was one of those films that if you know, you know. Despite its low budget, Vincenzo Natali's 1997 psychological thriller was a smart and unsettling watch that made the most out of its single location setting. The sequel and prequel didn't quite match the first, but Hollywood bosses decided to give the franchise another round and are planning a reboot titled Cubed.
Although Lionsgate is behind the modern take on the film and Prometheus screenwriter Jon Spaihts is attached to the project, it appears the backers can't get the film out of development limbo. And with Spaihts revealing back in 2016 that the concept is "resting right now", the odds for a next year release aren't looking too hot.
17. Candyman
This is one horror remake we're itching to see, thanks largely to the fact that Get Out's Jordan Peele is eyeing the project. Bernard Rose's 1992 original, based on a short story published in Clive Barker's Books Of Blood, starred Tony Todd as the titular spirit who emerges every time someone says his name five times while staring into the mirror (don't even try to deny you're still too scared do it at home).
The film came before two less-acclaimed sequels and a revisit has been on the rumour mill for years. As they say, there's no smoke without fire (and no Candyman without mirrors) and it looks like Peele is now in talks to produce a remake of the film through his Monkeypaw Productions.
Details are sparse right now what with the announcement being made late September of this year – here's hoping Todd's up for reprising his role as the hook-handed spook.
18. Ace Ventura
Well, alrighty then – looks like the 1994 pet detective will return to our screens sometime in the future. News of the reboot arrived last year, two decades after Jim Carrey wowed audiences with his unique form of comedy as the Hawaiian-shirted parrot man.
Last year Deadline confirmed that Morgan Creek Productions was making a major content push, with Ace Ventura at the top of its list.
News has gone quiet since then, not that the fans are complaining. While the company's founder James G Robinson has invited Carrey to reprise his role, there's a level of apprehension over whether a reboot is wanted or even necessary right now. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
19. Clueless
We were totally buggin' at the news that Clueless looks set to get a remake. Though it's still early days, Girls Trip writer Tracy Oliver is producing and Glow writer Marquita Robinson is penning the script.
The film will be based on the 1995 sleeper hit by Amy Heckerling, starring Alicia Silverstone as the loveable teen Cher Horowitz, alongside Paul Rudd, Breckin Meyer, Jeremy Sisto and Stacey Dash, as well as the late Brittany Murphy.
It's, like, totally unclear whether any of the original stars will return, but we do know the Clueless fanbase aren't too into it. Are they hyped about a modern update? As if!
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