classic movies Movies That Should Never Be Remade  

Ranker Film
Originally by
39.7k votes 2.1k voters 22.4k views 108 items

List Rules Vote for the movies that are perfect just the way they are and should never, ever be remade.

Some of the worst Hollywood movies of all time happened because an executive somewhere decided it would be a great money making venture to remake some of the greatest movies of all time (*cough*Psycho*cough*). The classic movies on this list of movies that shouldn't be remade are revered because they are inimitable, yet somehow, movie executives keep dredging their vaults and resurrecting movies that were already brilliant in misguided efforts to make them "better" (well, probably just to make money, let's be real). 

The scary thing about making a list of movies that should not be remade is the possibility that a decision maker somewhere will see the list and decide it's the perfect place to start looking for new movie ideas. There are sadly some movies, like The Blues Brothers, The Karate Kid, and The Wizard of Oz, that cannot be included on a list of films that shouldn't be redone. 

What classic movies should never be remade? What film will Hollywood ruin next? These classic films are on this movies that should not be remade list because they were amazing the first time around and don't need to be "improved". Vote for the movies you could never imagine being inhabited by a new cast and add any great movies that shouldn't be redone that might be missing.

1
1,197 165
Forrest Gump is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
laaaarrge added Forrest Gump Tom Hanks, Kurt Russell, Sally Field Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic romantic-comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Tom Hanks, Robin ...more

2
778 237
The Godfather is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Godfather Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S. Ruddy from a screenplay by Mario Puzo and Coppola. Starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino as ...more

3
484 229
Casablanca is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Casablanca Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and based on Murray Burnett and Joan Alison's unproduced stage play Everybody Comes to Rick's. The film stars ...more

4
598 237
Gone with the Wind is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Gone with the Wind Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel. It was produced by David O. Selznick of Selznick International ...more

5
702 225
The Shawshank Redemption is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Shawshank Redemption Morgan Freeman, Rita Hayworth, Tim Robbins The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Adapted from the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and ...more

6
603 217
The Silence of the Lambs is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Silence of the Lambs Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Chris Isaak The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American thriller film that blends elements of the crime and horror genres. Directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott ...more

7
747 271
Back to the Future is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
wiabux added Back to the Future Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson Back to the Future is a 1985 American comic science fiction film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and stars Michael J. Fox, ...more

8
478 201
It's a Wonderful Life is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
It's a Wonderful Life James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy comedy-drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story "The Greatest Gift", which Philip Van Doren ...more

9
568 187
The Princess Bride is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Princess Bride Billy Crystal, Robin Wright, André the Giant The Princess Bride is a 1987 American romantic comedy fantasy adventure film directed and co-produced by Rob Reiner. It was adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel of the same name. The ...more

10
518 218
Pulp Fiction is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Pulp Fiction John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American black comedy crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, from a story by Tarantino and Roger Avary. The film is known for its eclectic dialogue, ironic ...more

11
511 135
Star Wars is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Star Wars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill Star Wars is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. The first release in the Star Wars franchise, it stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter ...more

12
564 207
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Ferris Bueller's Day Off Charlie Sheen, Matthew Broderick, Jeffrey Jones Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American comedy film written, produced and directed by John Hughes. The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller, who skips school and spends the day in ...more

Famous Schizophrenics

13
606 236
The Breakfast Club is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Breakfast Club Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes and starring Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, John ...more

14
485 106
Indiana Jones and the Raiders ... is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Harrison Ford, Alfred Molina, Karen Allen Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan was from a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. It was produced by ...more

15
363 184
Rain Man is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Rain Man Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Valeria Golino Rain Man is a 1988 American drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass. It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish yuppie, Charlie Babbitt, who ...more

16
371 103
Goodfellas is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Goodfellas Robert De Niro, Samuel L. Jackson, Joe Pesci Goodfellas is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. ...more

17
705 191
Big is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Big Tom Hanks, Jon Lovitz, Elizabeth Perkins Big is a 1988 American fantasy comedy film directed by Penny Marshall, and stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish "to be big" and is then aged to adulthood ...more

The Best 14A Science Fiction Movies

18
415 174
The Shining is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Shining Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers The Shining is a 1980 British-American psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, ...more

19
405 170
Fight Club is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Fight Club Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, Helena Bonham Carter Fight Club is a 1999 film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher, and stars Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton ...more

20
435 161
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry, Meat Loaf The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 British-American musical comedy horror film directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien based on the 1973 musical ...more

21
353 108
Good Morning, Vietnam is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Good Morning, Vietnam Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, J. T. Walsh Good Morning, Vietnam is a 1987 American war-comedy film written by Mitch Markowitz and directed by Barry Levinson. Set in Saigon in 1965, during the Vietnam War, the film stars Robin Williams ...more

22
341 142
Scarface is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Scarface Michelle Pfeiffer, Al Pacino, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio Scarface is a 1983 American crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone. A remake of the 1932 film of the same name, Scarface tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony ...more

The Best Olivia Wilde Movies

23
531 188
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Drew Barrymore, Erika Eleniak, Debra Winger E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction-family film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison, featuring special effects by Carlo ...more

24
506 173
The Goonies is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
MarkJohnson added The Goonies Corey Feldman, Josh Brolin, Sean Astin The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. The film's ...more

25
295 57
The Wizard of Oz is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Gavin John Annette added The Wizard of Oz Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Frank Morgan The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and the most well-known and commercially successful adaptation based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful ...more

26
606 275
Grease is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Grease John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Randal Kleiser and produced by Paramount Pictures. It is based on Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs' 1971 musical of the same ...more

27
468 138
Jaws is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
MarkJohnson added Jaws Steven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. The prototypical summer blockbuster, its release is regarded as a ...more

The Best News Channels Youtube

28
334 137
To Kill a Mockingbird is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Mark Holmes added To Kill a Mockingbird Robert Duvall, Gregory Peck, William Windom To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American drama film directed by Robert Mulligan. The screenplay by Horton Foote was based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee. ...more

29
337 102
Die Hard is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Die Hard Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia Die Hard is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan and written by Steven E. de Souza and Jeb Stuart. It is based on the 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever, by Roderick Thorp. Die ...more

30
406 121
Stand by Me is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Stand by Me Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Feldman, John Cusack Stand by Me is a 1986 American coming of age comedy-drama adventure film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell. Based on the novella ...more

31
473 217
Beetlejuice is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Beetlejuice Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Geena Davis Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy fantasy film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros. The plot revolves around a recently deceased young ...more

32
451 144
A Christmas Story is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
A Christmas Story Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon, Zack Ward A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author and raconteur Jean Shepherd, based on his book In God We Trust: All ...more

Behind The Scenes Facts About 'RoboCop'

33
240 128
A Clockwork Orange is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
A Clockwork Orange Malcolm McDowell, Warren Clarke, Steven Berkoff A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 dystopian crime film adapted, produced, and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Anthony Burgess's 1962 novella A Clockwork Orange. It employs disturbing, violent ...more

34
285 92
Rocky is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Rocky Sylvester Stallone, Joe Frazier, Burgess Meredith Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and both written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an ...more

35
249 118
The Big Lebowski is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Big Lebowski Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Tara Reid The Big Lebowski is a 1998 stoner crime comedy film written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, an unemployed Los ...more

36
264 110
Field of Dreams is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Field of Dreams Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Kevin Costner Field of Dreams is a 1989 American fantasy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson, who also wrote the screenplay, adapting W. P. Kinsella's novel Shoeless Joe. It stars Kevin Costner, Amy ...more

37
259 106
Seven is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Seven Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Morgan Freeman Seven is a 1995 American psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher. The film stars Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, with Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey, John C. McGinley, and Kevin ...more

The 20 Most Epic Wedding FAILs of All Time

38
217 120
Apocalypse Now is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Apocalypse Now Marlon Brando, Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American epic adventure war film set during the Vietnam War. Produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, and Robert Duvall. ...more

39
251 93
The Matrix is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added The Matrix Keanu Reeves, Hugo Weaving, Carrie-Anne Moss The Matrix is a 1999 American-Australian science fiction action film written and directed by The Wachowskis, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe ...more

40
641 252
Dirty Dancing is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Dirty Dancing Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic drama film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as ...more

41
283 115
Groundhog Day is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Groundhog Day Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Michael Shannon Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott. It was written by Ramis and Danny Rubin, based on a story ...more

42
251 125
Alien is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Alien Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm Alien is a 1979 science-fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. ...more

The Best Cartoons of All Time

43
362 110
Mary Poppins is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
marcela-roura added Mary Poppins Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Elsa Lanchester Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay is by Bill ...more

44
279 121
Wayne's World is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Wayne's World Alice Cooper, Mike Myers, Rob Lowe Wayne's World is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Penelope Spheeris and starring Mike Myers as Wayne Campbell and Dana Carvey as Garth Algar, hosts of the Aurora, Illinois-based ...more

45
344 127
Jumanji is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
ImaadShahrukh added Jumanji Kirsten Dunst, Robin Williams, Patricia Clarkson Jumanji is a 1995 American fantasy adventure film directed by Joe Johnston. It is an adaptation of the 1981 children's book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg. The film was directed by Joe ...more

46
195 81
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventu... is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
ImaadShahrukh added Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure Keanu Reeves, George Carlin, Jane Wiedlin Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is a 1989 American science fiction comedy buddy film and the first film in the Bill & Ted franchise in which two slackers travel through time to assemble ...more

47
117 36
National Lampoon's Christmas V... is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Johna Lynn McFadden added National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chevy Chase, Juliette Lewis National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is a 1989 Christmas comedy film directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. It is the third installment in National Lampoon's Vacation film series, and was written by ...more

48
225 93
The Exorcist is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added The Exorcist Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair The Exorcist is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted by William Peter Blatty from his 1971 novel of the same name. The book, inspired by the 1949 ...more

49
206 109
The Birds is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
The Birds Alfred Hitchcock, Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette The Birds is a 1963 suspense/horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on the 1952 story "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier. It depicts Bodega Bay, California, which is, ...more

50
238 104
Caddyshack is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list Movies That Should Never Be Remade
Caddyshack Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield Caddyshack is a 1980 American sports comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis and Douglas Kenney. It stars Michael O'Keefe, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, ...more