10 More Horror Movie Remakes That Were Instantly Forgotten
A Sean Bean Hitcher remake sounds like a cool idea on paper, but in practice, it's pretty bad.
Even though horror franchises pump out sequels like there's no tomorrow, it's only a matter of time before the creative well runs dry. Rather than closing up shop, a studio may try to revitalise a scary IP with a remake, as opposed to doing something reasonable, like, you know, making something new.
Even if the reimagining is dreadful, making a massive profit is possible if the property has a fervent fanbase. The remakes of Halloween and Friday the 13th weren't great, but they earned more than the originals. 2010's Nightmare on Elm Street paled in comparison to Wes Craven's classic, but brought in more money than any other entry in the franchise.
Of course, not every horror revision performs well (and we're not talking about films like The Haunted Mansion or the recent I Know What You Did Last Summer). We're looking at iterations that performed so poorly, you probably forgot they even existed.
We've looked at this subject before, but we've managed to find another 10 Horror Movie Remakes That Were Instantly Forgotten. Even if you absolutely love the original film, it's probably not worth your time seeking out these forgettable do-overs...
10. Flatliners (2017)
In Joel Schumacher's sci-fi thriller, Flatliners, a group of medical students flatline for several minutes before being resuscitated, hoping to get a glimpse of the afterlife. When the group start suffering from petrifying hallucinations, they realise they soon might be dead for good.
Remakes get a bad rap, but redoing Flatliners was a welcome idea, since there were plenty of ways to expand on its provocative concept. On top of that, the 2017 incarnation looked promising due to its solid cast, which included Elliot Page, Diego Luna, and Kiersey Clemons. (The original star, Kiefer Sutherland, was nice enough to cameo.)
But rather than utilising new ideas, the remake recycles everything about the original. What's worse is that it seems to amplify the flaws of its predecessor. Although 1990's Flatliners had underdeveloped characters, the characterisation this time around is practically non-existent. The first movie had pacing issues, but this version is a slog to get through since every forced conflict is needlessly dragged out.
Schumacher's Flatliners is far from perfect, but it's a masterpiece compared to this dreary schlock. Despite making a minuscule profit, 2017's Flatliners is mostly forgotten, as it should be.