In order for a remake of a popular horror movie to feel worth watching, it has to do more than just slot in familiar elements as if they're puzzle pieces. While some remakes feel well-crafted and find a new way to tell the same story, like Fright Night (2011) and Let Me In (2010), others leave fans wondering why they wouldn't want to just rewatch the original film again. The problem with most remakes is that the characters tend to lack any real personality and the quality of these new movies tends to be lower than the originals.
From a dull slasher to a remake of a popular movie about a killer doll, and a truly baffling Nicolas Cage movie, there are several horror movie remakes that definitely didn't need to be made.
Updated on October 17, 2022 by Aya Tsintziras: It's interesting that the 2022 Hellraiser film isn't actually a remake and adds a fresh story to the franchise, as this allows fans of the franchise to enjoy a new tale while still being entertained by the elements of the previous movies that they know and love.
Horror fans will always be curious about remakes of beloved movies, as there's always the chance to add diversity and other elements that could bring something important to the table. Remakes of popular movies are always anticipated as there's a lot of curiosity about it, but unfortunately, not every remake is worth it. There are some that stand out in particular.
My Bloody Valentine (2009)
The 2009 remake of the 1981 horror movie My Bloody Valentine is poorly made and feels more cheesy than scary. The movie tells the story of characters in a small town that is dealing with the aftermath of a mine explosion. Since this took place on Valentine's Day, the title is a play on words, and it could be argued that the title is the best thing about this remake.
The villain in the horror film is Tom Harringer (Jensen Ackles), who puts on a miner's uniform terrorizes people. Fans of long-running TV series Supernatural might want to watch the movie to see Ackles, but that's about it. There are so many other great slashers to watch that this one can be skipped for sure.
Child's Play (2019)
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The 2019 Child's Play remake is an updated version of the famous 1988 horror movie, and it just doesn't have the same vibe, tone, or fun factor as the original.
The same elements are here: a young boy named Andy Barclay (Gabriel Bateman), his mom Karen (Aubrey Plaza), and a Good Guy doll named Chucky who is a lot more trouble than he appears to be at first. This remake proves that there is more to a great remake than just including the same characters and setting and main story as the first one. The movie also feels pointless considering that season 1 of Chucky is great and if there's going to be a new movie that is part of this slasher horror franchise, it should be a brand new film, not a remake.
The Stepfather (2009)
The 2009 remake of the '80s movie The Stepfather stars Penn Badgley as Michael Harding, whose mom Susan (Sela Ward) has fallen in love with David Harris (Dylan Walsh) who is a creepy, evil con man who has a pattern of marrying unsuspecting, innocent women and then committing murder. It doesn't feel like a feminist horror movie as Susan doesn't see any obvious signs that something is wrong.
While there are many '80s horror movies that deserve remakes, The Stepfather isn't one of them. The 2009 remake ends up feeling like a corny Lifetime film and it's too obvious from the beginning that "David" is lying about his identity and that he's going to complete this cycle again. The end is boring and expected, as "David" meets a new woman in a store, and audiences know that he's going to seduce her.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)
The remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street is a terrible teen horror movie and also a bad horror remake. The original '80s film is a masterpiece, known for its horrifying story featuring brilliant horror villain Freddy Krueger.
When compared to the original film, which sees teenagers dying in their dreams thanks to Freddy, there didn't seem to be much of a reason to release the 2010 remake. This time around, the main characters are devoid of personality and audiences can't tell them apart. Since the original is full of genuine scares and cheesy yet perfect dialogue, it's hard not to want to just watch the '80s movie. Some horror movies need remakes but the original film introducing fans to Freddy is good enough.
The Wicker Man (2006)
Based on the British movie from 1973, 2006's The Wicker Man doesn't include one of Nicolas Cage's best horror movie performances. When Cage's character Edward Malus hears that Rowan (Erika Shaye Gair), the child of his ex-fiance, has disappeared, he wants to help out. It's definitely a forgotten 2000s horror movie.
The setting of the movie is strange but in a confusing, not cool way, as Edward goes to an island where people are neo-pagans. The people in this area want to burn and sacrifice Rowan, and while audiences will sympathize as of course no one wants to see a child put in that situation, the movie is really odd and all over the place. By the time audiences get to the twist that Rowan was in on an evil plan to sacrifice Edward, no one really cares.
Friday The 13th (2009)
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The 2009 remake of timeless '80s horror film Friday the 13th isn't generally well-received by fans. Trent and Jenna are the central couple who spend time on Crystal Lake as Trent as a cabin there. Nothing stands out much about this story. While the characters come across Jason Voorhees while hanging out in nature instead of being camp counselors, the story doesn't feel fresh enough.
There's talk of a new Friday the 13th film which seems unnecessary, especially since the remake doesn't have a solid enough story to warrant watching it. The movie feels generic instead of being part of such a beloved slasher franchise. Fan anticipation was high for this new entry in the franchise since horror lovers have been rewatching the original film for so many years, but unfortunately, it was a big disappointment.
Pet Sematary (2019)
The 2019 Pet Sematary remake doesn't change much from the original '80s film. Just like before, a family moves into a new house in the country, sees a pet graveyard behind their property, and meets a wise, mysterious stranger who seems to know all about this place. Ellie Creed (Jeté Laurence) is the child who dies and comes back to life instead of Gage (Miko Hughes), but that's the only glaring difference.
In order for the remake to feel successful, it would have been more enjoyable to create a new family with a complex and dramatic dynamic and maybe a different setting. A pet cemetary behind an apartment building in an urban setting could have been a great horror movie location.
One Missed Call (2008)
One Missed Call is the remake of the 2003 Japanese horror movie and definitely not a critical darling. The movie focuses on college students Beth Raymond (Shannyn Sossamon) and Leann Cole (Azura Skye) whose good friend Shelley Baum (Meagan Good) dies. Before the victims in the film are killed, their phone rings and they see videos of how they will die.
While The RIng is a great movie, One Missed Call also uses the idea of getting a deadly phone call but this time, it's just not that scary. It's a 2000 horror movie that doesn't hold up. The killer, Ellie Layton, is a sympathetic horror movie villain as she had a tough childhood, but that isn't enough to create a smart story. The spirit of Ellie is the one haunting the victims, but the other characters aren't given much to work with.