9 Movies That Should NEVER Be Rebooted or Remade

Anthony Faccenda

It’s no secret that Hollywood lacks originality. Every week, without fail, a movie reboot is announced. Within the past two weeks, reboots of Tomb Raider, GI Joe, and Dune were all announced. And let’s not forget the new photos from the Dirty Dancing remake that no one asked for, which were released last week. There’s also the new Matrix movie that was announced in March, which isn’t a remake, but may be a companion film to the original trilogy.


Luckily for cinephiles, there are still some sacred films that Hollywood hasn’t put its grubby mitts on. So if you chose to skip the recent C.H.I.P.S. adaptation and aren’t looking forward to the upcoming reboots of Baywatch and The Mummy, take solace in the fact the following nine films have not been rebooted. 

Here are nine movies that should NEVER be rebooted.  ​

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Note: This list of currently un-rebooted movies is subject to change based on Hollywood’s greed and lack of originality.

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​The Shining

Discounting the 1997 TV miniseries, Hollywood has yet to tarnish Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece The Shining. Since this classic horror film is loosely based on Stephen King’s famous novel, there’s no doubt that someone will want to do a more “true-to-the-book” remake at some point. Interestingly, Kubrick considered both Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams for the role of Jack Torrance. Luckily for movie fans, Jack Nicholson eventually landed the role and made it famous. Fun fact: Nicholson improvised the “Here’s Johnny” line, which to this day, remains one of the most memorable lines of dialogue in cinema history.

The Big Lebowski

One of the Cohen Brother’s best films (which is saying something), The Big Lebowski is unmatched due to its originality and absurdity. As far as the film’s performances, who else but Jeff Bridges could play the Dude? Casting another actor in his place would be blasphemous. And could you really picture anyone but John Goodman telling Donny (Steve Buscemi) to shut the fuck up? In 2014 the Cohen Brothers 1996 film Fargo got the TV treatment, which turned out well, but hopefully the only iteration of The Big Lebowski we will ever see is the 1998 movie.

​Eraserhead

Lauded by critics for its vivid examination of surreal and sexual themes, David Lynch’s Eraserhead is one of the most unforgettable movies you will ever see. Praised for its unique use of sound, the film features a constant low level of noise which is both unnerving and unsettling. Attempting to recreate Eraserhead’s atmosphere would be an impossible task for even the most talented director. So let’s hope that no one ever tries.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Based on the country’s current social climate, remaking this 1962 classic may seem appropriate, but would be a fruitless endeavor. Based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird won three Academy Awards, including a Best Actor win for Gregory Peck’s incredible performance as Atticus Finch. Since art often imitates life, perhaps a director would be better off crafting a unique script based on events in Ferguson or Baltimore. Just leave this classic alone.

The Breakfast Club

From the abysmal Ghostbusters reboot to the downright shameful Robocop remake, Hollywood loves insulting our intelligence and taste when it comes to beloved ‘80s classics. In a world where even so-so ‘80s movies like Footloose get remade (with Julianne Hough no less), it appears that no film is safe. But please, whatever you do Hollywood; never touch John Hughes’s 1985 classic The Breakfast Club. Arguably the greatest teen movie of the 1980s, attempting to recreate the chemistry of the original cast members would be moronic.

Pulp Fiction

While several of Quentin Tarantino’s films could easily be on this list, Pulp Fiction gets the nod because it’s a masterpiece in every sense of the word. An example of screenwriting at its finest, Pulp Fiction touts some of the greatest scenes of dialogue ever captured on screen and remains one of the most influential films of the ‘90s. Also, could you really ever picture any actors besides John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson playing hit men Vincent and Jules? I didn’t think so.

First Blood

Before the unbelievable sequels that made him a larger than life superhero, audiences first fell in love with tortured Vietnam Vet John Rambo in 1982’s First Blood. The film and character it spawned would serve as the blueprint for countless ‘80s action films and spawn three sequels. In 2015, Sylvester Stallone revealed that if Rambo were rebooted his choice to fill his shoes would be Ryan Gosling. Yes, Gosling is a talented and versatile actor, but there can only be one John J. Rambo.

The Godfather

​Marlon Brando’s Oscar-winning performance as Vito “Don” Corleone is often imitated, but can certainly never by duplicated. Routinely listed at or near the top of every film critics’ list of all-time greatest movies, this 1972 classic holds a 99 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and won a total of three Academy Awards. A favorite amongst moviegoers as well, The Godfather currently ranks #2 on IMDB’s list of the 250 greatest films of all time.

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