10 Horror Movie Franchises Which Got Terribly Adapted TWICE

Two strikes and they're out.

By James Egan /

A concept or property shouldn't be written off for good just because it was once received poorly. For example, even though the original Little Shop of Horrors, Judge Dredd, and Casino Royale films were met with scorn and ridicule, each of these properties turned out great when they were revisited for a second time around.

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However, some franchises have sadly had the misfortune of bombing specularly both times. Although wider cinema has already been covered in 10 Movie Franchises Which Got Terribly Adapted TWICE, now is the time to hone in and explore the domain of horror.

To be fair, films like IT, The Blob, and The Fly fared significantly better when they got a do-over. By looking at the first flop as a test run, the second incarnation knew what pitfalls to avoid. For instance, if the original didn't stay true to particular source material, the updated version can fix that, or if the first adaptation was a jumbled mess, the remake should be more straightforward.

Of course, this is easier said than done, and despite filmmakers' best efforts, certain movie properties tanked, not once but twice (and on occasion, three times). After seeing how these horror properties repeatedly dropped the ball, it's hard to imagine any studio would consider taking another crack at them.

10. Firestarter

Even though adapting a book is a big gamble, Stephen King's earliest work was met with overwhelming positivity when it transitioned to the big screen. Unfortunately, that winning streak ended in 1984 when we received two botched King adaptations in a row, Firestarter and Children of the Corn (more on that later). 

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Though Drew Barrymore's charismatic performance stops Firestarter from being a complete disaster, the film should've been far more gripping considering it revolves around a flame-summoning child, Charlie McGee. Having said that, the 1984 version didn't crash and burn as badly as the 2022 remake, as the relationship between the young pyrokinetic and her father in this version isn't developed enough for viewers to care about them. If the audience doesn't give a damn about the lead characters, that's a really bad sign.

Though the girl's abilities should be awe-inspiring, her displays of power in the remake come across as bland and tepid. Although the idea of a youngster burning everything around her to a crisp is terrifying, there's never any sense of urgency due to the poor performances and sloppy cinematography.

The original mightn't have been great, but 2022's Firestarter is among the worst King adaptations ever.

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