Buzz
If you find yourself at the cinema this weekend and spot the name of the Roman classic Ben-Hur on the marquee, you might wonder if studios are running low on fresh ideas. After all, the 1959 version starring Charlton Heston was itself a remake of a 1925 silent film, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, both featuring thrilling chariot races that captivated audiences decades apart. Discover more films that could be considered 'triple remakes.'
1. Night of the Living Dead (2006)
Rather than questioning why George Romero’s iconic zombie masterpiece has been remade twice, it’s more interesting to ask why it hasn’t been reimagined even more. Since the 1968 original left out a copyright symbol, anyone can legally claim the basic concept—living dead hunting down a small group of human survivors. While many independent filmmakers have tried their hand, only two major theatrical remakes exist: a 1990 version directed by Tom Savini, and a 2006 3D adaptation called Night of the Living Dead 3D. Though Savini had Romero’s approval, the 2006 remake didn’t consult him and ended up grossing just $271,000 in theaters.
2. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
In the 1990s, Tom Hanks was virtually untouchable—and Meg Ryan was just as beloved. After their successful pairing in the 1993 hit Sleepless in Seattle, they reunited for You've Got Mail, which also became a hit—just like the classic film that inspired it. Producer Julie Durk had seen a TV airing of the 1940 film The Shop Around the Corner, in which Jimmy Stewart and his business rival unknowingly exchanged love letters. Warner Bros. modernized the concept for the email age. But Durk wasn't the first to come up with the remake idea. Nearly 40 years earlier, The Shop Around the Corner had been reimagined as the musical In the Good Old Summertime, starring Judy Garland.
3. House of Wax (2005)
Only Chad Michael Murray fans might recall this lackluster horror remake about a wax museum that’s excellent at preserving its exhibits—except for the tourists who wander in. The film was a remake of the 1953 version starring Vincent Price, which is regarded as a classic: Price’s version drew inspiration from the 1933 film Mystery of the Wax Museum, but it introduced 3D and innovative three-track audio. Mystery of the Wax Museum was shot with an early version of Technicolor, so powerful lights were used that they melted the wax figures and even caused some actors' eyes to burn.
4. Kiss of Death (1995)
Nicolas Cage delivers one of his signature, understated performances as the unstable gangster Little Junior Brown, the head of a criminal organization that lures reformed convict Jimmy (David Caruso) back into the fold. The storyline is adapted from the 1947 film Kiss of Death, which has long been a favorite among film noir enthusiasts, particularly for its unforgettable scene where Richard Widmark’s psychopath character laughs maniacally while pushing an elderly woman down the stairs. (Fun fact: the stuntwoman for the scene was Rod Amateau, who went on to direct the 1987 film.) 20th Century Fox later remade the movie as a Western, The Fiend Who Walked the West, in 1958. It is notable as one of the final acting roles for Robert Evans, who would go on to become a renowned producer.
5. Down to Earth (2001)
Where did co-writers Chris Rock and Louis C.K. draw inspiration for their comedy about a man who dies young and returns to earth in another form? From Warren Beatty's 1978 film Heaven Can Wait, which starred Beatty as a pro quarterback, a departure from Rock’s comedic character. And where did Beatty get the concept? From the 1941 comedy Here Comes Mr. Jordan, which featured Robert Montgomery as a boxer who gets a second shot at life. While Beatty likely didn’t take direct cues from Montgomery, Rock revealed that he had lunch with Beatty before watching Heaven Can Wait, which Rock had not yet seen. Beatty, Rock noted, was just “the guy from Dick Tracy.” Both Beatty and Montgomery were nominated for Academy Awards for their roles.
6. The Jazz Singer (1980)
When Neil Diamond decided to venture into acting, a remake of the 1927 classic The Jazz Singer seemed like an ideal project—even with its now outdated and problematic element. The original film starred Al Jolson as a would-be cantor who defies his family’s wishes to pursue a career in entertainment. Notable for being the first Hollywood film to synchronize dialogue and music on the film strip, it also included scenes of Jolson in blackface, which Diamond controversially replicated in his own critically panned version. Prior to Diamond, the film had been remade with Danny Thomas in 1952. While Diamond’s rendition only achieved modest success at the box office, its soundtrack sold more than four million copies.
7. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
Jack Nicholson’s ill-fated affair with Jessica Lange mirrors the earlier pairing of Lana Turner and John Garfield. Between the 1946 original and Nicholson's 1981 remake, there was a lesser-known variation, the 1953 Roadhouse Girl, made on a small budget. All three versions are based on James M. Cain’s pulp novel.
8. The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke star in a remake of the 1960 classic, which will be released later this year. But The Magnificent Seven—the tale of a group of gunfighters hired to defend a town from attackers—didn't begin as a Western. It is an American remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 film Seven Samurai, which follows a band of samurai in feudal Japan with the same mission. Kurosawa, when commenting on the Steve McQueen version, seemed more confused than impressed. “The American version is a disappointment, though entertaining,” he once remarked. “It is not a version of Seven Samurai. I do not understand why they call it that.”
9. The Squaw Man (1931)
Cecil B. DeMille began his Hollywood career by directing smaller films, including this adaptation of an Edwin Milton Royle stage play about a distinguished British officer (Warner Baxter) who is blamed for his cousin’s embezzlement of charity funds. This story was previously filmed in 1918 as a silent feature, also under DeMille’s direction; he had already made the 1914 original. While the 1931 version capitalized on the advent of "talkies," there was another reason DeMille repeatedly returned to this story. “I love this story so much that as long as I live I will make it every 10 years,” DeMille once said.
DeMille is thought to be the only director in cinema history to remake his own film three times, but even if he had stopped at just one, he’d still be remembered: The 1914 film is considered Hollywood’s first full-length feature.
