10 Movies That Would Actually Benefit From A Remake

2. The Towering Inferno (1974)

The Towering Inferno is rightly regarded as a classic; Steve McQueen and Paul Newman head an all-star ensemble cast in one of the greatest disaster movies of all-time. Both a critical and commercial smash-hit, it was nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and grossed almost $140m worldwide, which is well over $650m adjusted for inflation. 40 years on, the story would be perfect for the big-budget blockbuster treatment. In 1974, the making of The Towering Inferno was a production of epic proportions itself; shepherded to the screen by producer Irwin Allen (known as the 'Master of Disaster') it was the first major co-production between two prominent studios, with 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. joining forces and footing the bill for the $14m budget, a huge figure at the time. Then of course there was the McQueen/Newman double act; the two megastars were treated as equals and were both given the same salary and number of lines, as well as having their names arranged diagonally on the credits so both could lay claim to first billing. Nobody in Hollywood seems to make disaster movies anymore with the exception of Roland Emmerich, though he should be kept well away from this should it ever come to fruition. Armed with a blockbuster budget, a 21st Century Towering Inferno could stay true to the original and feature a sprawling ensemble cast of fully-developed characters that each get their own moments, as well as upping the ante when it comes to spectacular visuals and claustrophobic set-pieces. Of course, a remake would need two genuine A-list stars to top-line the movie; who would you choose? I'd go for Robert Downey Jr. as the fast-talking architect confident in his design and Hugh Jackman as the no-nonsense fireman.