Remakes are always a cause for debate. Are they really necessary? What is the point of remaking a great film? Would it be better to remake movies that weren't successful? But there have been many remakes that have not been popular with horror fans for different reasons. Some were too close to the original. Others didn't really have a point. Here are ten horror film remakes that the audience was not fond of.
Cabin Fever (2016)
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The original horror comedy Cabin Fever did well when it was released, so naturally, it became a franchise. The second film Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, was directed by Ti West. After a third installment, the decision was made to remake the first movie in 2016. Fans were not pleased with the remake, which was almost a carbon copy of the original, but somehow worse, according to fans.
The Fog (2005)
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The Fog is perhaps not one of John Carpenter's most well-known and beloved films, but it still has loyal fans. However, the remake made in 2005 is not as well regarded. According to fans who say the remake seemed to have squandered the original's basic premise. The remake adds details that weren't in the first film and seems to have wanted to try something different but with less success. If you love Carpenter films, you can read about the recent exhibit of John Carpenter and Rick Baker's creations from The Thing, and They Live at San Diego Comic-Con here.
Children of the Corn (2020)
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To date, there have been 11 films made as adaptations or sequels to Stephen King's short story Children of the Corn. That's a lot of corn from one short story. In 2020, a second remake or film adaptation of the original story was made, which was unpopular. The CGI monster wasn't terrifying; fans called it an "angry Groot." You can read about this remake's long road to release here.
Pulse (2006)
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During the 2000s, there were a lot of American remakes of J-Horror films, and they had varying amounts of quality. The remake of The Ring was received. The remake of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse was not well received. According to one fan, the filmmakers "messed up the spooky ghost walk." Horror movie fans really care about their favorite films.
Martyrs (2015)
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Martyrs is the beloved French horror film that the director Pascal Laugier insists is not part of the New French Extremity wave of films. The film was remade in the United States in 2015 but seems to have lost its audience as some fans felt that the filmmakers seemed to have misunderstood the meaning of the original film. The film is less gory, and the torture scenes are more subtle, but that hasn't justified its existence as a remake.
Poltergeist (2015)
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Yes, a Poltergeist remake was released in 2015, and despite the presence of Sam Rockwell and Jared Harris, it was not a success. This remake was the film mentioned 17 times by critical fans in a public forum. Critical consensus on the film seems to be that it does stick to the story but doesn't improve upon it or add anything special to it.
Day of the Dead (2008)
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Day of the Dead isn't as unpopular as some of the remakes on this list, but it seems like it is much more of a horror comedy that the audience is comfortable with. Another objection was that the zombies seemed turbo-powered, and one crawls on a ceiling. Being upset with a zombie crawling the wall is understandable since zombies, in the Romero tradition, do not have supernatural powers. The film retains some of the character names from the original movie, but other than that, not much else.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
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Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of horror Hall of Fame franchises. The 2010 remake? Not so much. The changes to Freddie Krueger's backstory did not work for fans, and the film had too many similarities to the original without adding something new and exciting. Some fans did note that they thought Jackie Earle Hayley did well as Krueger.
Psycho (1998)
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Gus Van Sant's experimental, almost shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho truly puzzled audiences. The film's cast was stacked with great actors, and the director amped up the violence and sexuality, but it was a commercial failure.
Prom Night (2008)
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While Prom Night was successful financially, critically, it didn't do that well. Fans do not have kind words for it, either. It is a much more polished film than the original, but even the lavish sets couldn't make it more thrilling or memorable.
