Horror Marathon, Anyone?Let's look closely at the all spooky scary franchises, sequels, prequels, reboots, remakes, and etc. we're watching in the dark with no lights on.
Updated September 6, 2023 6.0K votes 1.3K voters 44.8K views
Over 1.3K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of Underrated Horror Remakes That Are Actually Worth Watching
Voting Rules
Vote up the horror remakes that deserve more praise.
Over the past three decades, Hollywood has become all about remakes. Whether or not an original film was actually successful doesn't matter - if the powers that be believe they can improve on a story, they'll give it another go - sometimes more than once.
The originals of these horror movies are well-loved by fans, but do their remakes pass the test - or perhaps even surpass the original? Cast your votes and let us know.
The original Dawn of the Dead is a genre classic and - with its lumbering zombies and victims who make their way to the mall to find shelter - a shrewd statement on American consumerism.
The remake, written by James Gunn, is more straight-up action-horror adventure than social statement, but it does its job well. Also, the zombies are no longer slow-moving or as easy to kill as they were in the original.
George A. Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead started the whole modern zombie genre, so its remake had big shoes to fill.
Luckily, legendary horror makeup artist Tom Savini was at the helm the second time around. Savini worked with Romero on his films bringing his gory creatures to life, so he certainly knew the subject material.
Savini stayed true to the original story but added advanced special effects, a more diverse cast, and some plot twists not seen in the original.
Wes Craven, who directed the original The Hills Have Eyes in 1977, produced Alexandre Aja's 2006 remake, so it already had the seal of approval among horror enthusiasts.
The movie follows a family driving across the county who becomes stranded in the New Mexico desert. While it is remote, they learn they aren't alone and are attacked by mutant cannibals who live in the area.
The 1956 version of The Blob is campy, low-budget, and a favorite of B-movie aficionados. The 1988 version is a solid remake that updates the film while keeping all the camp elements viewers love.
The Blob follows a group of teens who discover a gelatinous creature that crashed down from outer space and grows bigger by consuming everything - and everyone - in its path.
Maniac, released in 2012, follows serial killer Frank Zito (played by Elijah Wood) as he hunts and scalps his female victims in New York City.
The 1980 original is a cult classic, though many say the remake is technically superior. While the remake received mixed reviews, Wood was praised for bringing more depth and complexity to the character than the original film.
Body Snatchers has received more than one remake: both Body Snatchers (1993) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) are remakes of the 1956 original.
All three films follow an alien invasion in which extraterrestrial beings replace humans with identical, unfeeling duplicates.
The locations change in the ‘93 version - from California to a US army base in Alabama - and the male protagonist is not only female, she’s a rebellious teen.
