I recently watched the new psychological horror film “Speak No Evil,” a remake of a Danish film with the same name released in 2022. The only difference was the fact that the main characters were American, and the remake had a more eventful ending. Despite this, the story was the same. It made me wonder, was it really worth a remake? The original had only been out for two years. I feel we are seeing this trend of remaking films for profit more and more in the film industry, and it makes me angry.

I understand some of the reasons Hollywood is remaking old films. Many creators want to introduce old movies to new audiences. For example, the original “Planet of the Apes” was released in 1968. It was praised by critics and audiences alike, and won an Academy Award. The success of the movie led to four more films, comic books, merchandise and more. Why not introduce such a popular creation to a new generation? Based on the fact the 2001 remake grossed $68.5 million its debut weekend, it was just as successful the second time around.

However for the majority of films, I feel remakes are not necessary. Sure, many newer films have accomplished massive success, but are they not essentially ripoffs of the original? Hollywood shouldn’t just refer to old catalogs when they run out of ideas. I believe it limits creativity by providing a crutch.

Another reason behind remakes is the motivation to appeal to existing audiences. There is less financial risk involved for the filmmakers if they are creating a work that already has a fanbase. For example, if a producer knows the original “Ghostbusters” was successful, why wouldn’t they attempt to remake it for a greater profit among a new generation? At the very least, fans of the original movie will be intrigued and want to see the remake, so the film will make money either way.

Some movies may be remade simply because they could technically be improved with new production equipment. For example, the original “Clash of the Titans” that was released in 1981 used stop-motion animation. Of course the 2010 remake appealed to a larger audience, as they didn’t have to suffer through a dated animation style. However, I think this takes away from the original experience. The technology that was used at the time the films were made speak to the era and vision that they were created in.

To spice up remakes, producers may make changes such as having the cast be completely female or adapting the pre-existing world of the film to today’s technology. This can appeal to new audiences in addition to its original fans. However, these slight changes are simply a safe play compared to coming up with a completely new movie idea.

Just because a movie replaces computers with cellphones and uses modern slang doesn’t mean it’s a creative endeavor. When creating fictional worlds, opportunities for world building are endless. Why rely on an idea from 30 years ago? Audiences love things that feel unique. That is what creates fandoms and lines that wrap around movie theaters on opening night, and the audience reaction to remakes is simply not the same.

Instead of remakes, I think we need to see more films that match our own technology and speak to the time we live in. I hope to see films that can be watched years from now and take audiences back in time to when they were created. We need more of a push to make movies that we can introduce to our children, like our parents did to us. Films should feel like an accurate depiction of what our culture looks like. I don’t want to rewatch reiterations of the same film forever. We need original movies, and we won’t get them until Hollywood decides to take risks again and stop remaking films.