Let’s be real: Hollywood’s got a bad habit of remakes. Some work (hi, The Thing and The Departed), but generally the rest are the kinds of movies where you think the studios should’ve just left well enough alone. If it’s an unnecessary “reimagining” of a classic or an Americanizing of a great foreign film for no apparent reason, these are the instances in which Hollywood went for the home run and totally struck out. Here’s a countdown of the 10 worst remakes ever to reach the big screen.
10. The Karate Kid (2010)
Did the world need this? The original 1984 Karate Kid is a classic underdog tale that defined an era. The 2010 remake featured Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, relocated the action to China, and bizarrely replaced karate with kung fu, like turning Rocky into a movie about fencing rather than boxing. It made money, yes, but Daniel-san fans cringed. Some movies are best left alone, crane kick and all.
9. The Lion King (2019)
Disney’s photorealistic remake appeared jaw-droppingly realistic, but that was the very issue. With no expressive animation, Simba and pals simply stared blankly through historic emotional scenes. The original burst with color, energy, and emotion; this one was more akin to a National Geographic special with karaoke. It raked it in, but it’s a hollow imitation of a masterpiece.
8. Ben-Hur (2016)
The 1959 Ben-Hur is an epic film, renowned for its stunning chariot race and epic scale. The 2016 remake? Forgettable special effects and a complete lack of soul. Viewers ignored it, critics dissected it, and the box office crash was merciless. Sometimes, attempting to remake a flawless classic is the worst idea of all.
7. Ghost in the Shell (2017)
Hollywood’s live-action adaptation of the cult Japanese anime phenomenon sparked controversy even before its release, owing to the casting of Scarlett Johansson in a part that should have been played by an Asian actress. Apart from that, the movie entirely failed to capture the philosophical and visual genius of the original. Critics and fans alike wrote it off as a shallow, high-gloss miss that didn’t get its own source material.
6. The Mummy (2017)
The 1999 Mummy was a lighthearted, swashbuckling romp. The 2017 remake with Tom Cruise was a miserable, cheerless slog encumbered by terrible CGI and franchise-building pretensions. Universal was hoping it would launch its “Dark Universe.” What it did instead was kill it before it had a chance to get going, costing the studio millions.
5. Oldboy (2013)
Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy (2003) is a surreal masterpiece—grisly, stylish, and unforgettable. Spike Lee’s American remake took away everything that had made the original work, leaving a forgettable, watered-down thriller nobody wanted. The remake tanked hard and soon fell off the map.
4. Psycho (1998)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is untouched. So why in the name of God did Gus Van Sant believe remaking it shot-for-shot in color was a sound idea? Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates was the last nail in the coffin. Senseless, cringe, and universally despised, this one goes down in annals as one of the most pointless remakes ever undertaken.
3. Martyrs (2015)
The French original is among the most gruesome, chilling horror movies of the 2000s. The American remake? A pale, sanitized imitation that utterly missed the mark. Critics flayed it, horror enthusiasts hated it, and it did next to zero at the box office. It’s evidence that some movies are never, ever remade.
2. Poltergeist (2015)
The 1982 Poltergeist is a horror classic, a perfect blend of creepy and lovable. The 2015 remake was a lifeless imitation with no scares or wonder. With an even larger budget, it flopped against the original (adjusted for inflation), a nd the critics eviscerated it. It’s the epitome of a remake that no one asked for.
1. Snow White (2025)
Disney’s most recent live-action remake proved to be its most controversial one. With a budget rumored to be $270 million, Snow White dominated the North American box office but underperformed internationally, particularly in China. The critics uniformly panned it (44% on Rotten Tomatoes), the fans were divided, and casting and production choice controversy dominated all else. Whether you considered it “mostly captivating” or “toe-curlingly terrible,” it’s one of the most divisive remakes ever made.
Hollywood is not about to let go of its remake mania. But if experience has taught us anything, it is that lightning does not strike twice. Classic films are remembered as such for being new, for being daring, and for their influence—not for receiving a sheeny redo years later. Perhaps, quite perhaps, the greatest way to pay homage to a classic is to leave it alone.