The 1980s offered several popular films that audiences remember with nostalgia. Those fond memories can sometimes make viewers forgive their lackluster qualities.
Film studios know this, which has ushered in the age of remaking those classic films for modern audiences. This year alone plans to deliver a Remake of another 80s classic, Roadhouse. In some cases, remakes of 80s classic movies (like Roadhouse) might leave some asking about their purpose, whereas other films beg for a second chance. The 80s classic movies (for better or worse) below deserve a chance to redeem themselves for a new generation.
1. Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck has garnered a reputation as one of the worst films in history. The Story completely missed the mark for both viewers and critics.
In 2024, the film's memory has only gotten worse. Such a bad history makes it a contender for a remake that could wash away that negative past. In a world of great and funny space adventures like Guardians of the Galaxy (in which Howard the Duck appeared), the character can have a shot at redemption. Marvel Studios has recently adapted the “Marvel Spotlight” banner for some of its Disney+ shows (Werewolf by Night and Echo).
A Howard the Duck remake can have one of those sorts of reimaginings. While not connecting to the larger MCU, a remake in this way can redeem the movie's troubled past.
2. Tango & Cash
The 1989 film pitted Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone together for the first time. Such a pairing delivered a classic piece of cheesy and action-packed 1980s entertainment. The story follows two opposite types of LAPD officers who get framed by their biggest enemy. They must put aside their contentious relationship to take down this common threat.
That classic buddy comedy-meets-action movie could get a compelling retelling. Viewers need two charismatic leads that they can connect with. Pair them with menacing and unpredictable villains, and it can offer bountiful results.
While delivering on the classic comedic stylings, it also offers a chance for real social commentary. This would include some subtle subtext regarding these officers working in a corrupt industry. Regardless, the results could lead to a remake that respects the original while adding new themes and ideas to the story.
3. The Running Man
The Running Man’s premise alone begs for a chance at modernization. The 1987 film starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a police officer convicted for a crime he did not commit. To win his freedom, he gets thrown into a vicious television game show with convicts and killers. Their prize involves an attempt at achieving freedom for their many crimes.
In theory, remaking the film could offer a new perspective. It can still offer viewers plenty of brutal action while making them think about the role of law and order in today’s world.
4. The Cannonball Run
The Cannonball Run delivered an old-timey fun racing adventure. The film followed racers who participated in a wild and massively illegal cross-country road race. It balanced both thrills and laughs while based on a true story.
A remake should have no other ambitions besides existing as a fun adventure. Once a solid ensemble of actors form, a remake could succeed as an easy conceit. With a great cast in place, a remake needs to have massively exciting race sequences. In the age of advanced visual effects, the races themselves can offer electrifying results. An advancement in the cast and visual effects, can deliver a remake for a new generation.
5. First Blood
Many consider the 1982 thriller a classic piece of cinema. On its surface, the film succeeded in its delivery of thrills and brutal action. At the same time, it offered deeper themes, exploring the trauma of war. A remake of Rambo can still flirt with that same concept while dealing with a different war.
A remake could deal with a Veteran’s fallout from either Desert Storm or the Iraq War. While the movie could handle the character's trauma similarly to the original film, the character's inner conflict could serve as something different. Placing the film in a modernized setting could offer an effective take on trauma, while introducing it to a new generation of viewers.
6. The NeverEnding Story
The film's premise follows a boy named Bastian as he explores the world of Fantasia. A remake can succeed in one crucial and effective way. Instead of the world of 1984, the story can move to the modern day.
While following the same story, a remake can modernize the tale in a few key ways. The most important involves Bastian living with his widowed father, but stuck with a technology obsession. As he stumbles into the bookstore, the film can still deliver the nostalgia and fantastical charm of the original. While for a younger generation, this remake can focus and send the message of literature in the digital age. The results could create a timely remake with something for both old and new audiences.
7. Clue
This generation has already had their Clue-esque franchise in Knives Out. That does not mean a Clue remake should remain out of the question. A remake of Clue can do more than just rehash what made the original film great. Besides modernizing the mystery, a remake can play with the genre’s newfound conventions.
That includes a chance to change details like the real killer's identity. The results could help introduce the genre to a new generation while also honoring how far it has come since the original.
8. Escape From New York
Released in 1981, Escape from New York dealt with a hypothetical future in 1997. The story follows Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), who is sent to a near-apocalyptic New York City to rescue the U.S. president.
A remake can deliver a brutal, fast-paced, and relentless action movie for audiences. The key to a remake’s success resides in the lead performance. Someone like Chris Hemsworth or Joel Edgerton could easily convey the character's tough guy persona. Simultaneously, an actor of that pedigree can complete the relentless action sequences. As long as a capable actor remains front and center, a remake has serious blockbuster potential.
9. The Goonies
The Goonies existed as yet another nostalgic adventure in the 1980s. The film remains beloved by many as a staple of their childhood.
A remake of the adventure story can help reintroduce The Goonies world to audiences who did not grow up with the original. Hollywood simply does not make movies like The Goonies anymore. That gives a remake the chance for audiences to take a trip down memory lane.
To make it a success, the film should follow a similar pattern to the original. Cast relatively unknown leading actors, making the focus on their bond amidst the adventure. If viewers engage with them, it can succeed as a thriving, entertaining and nostalgic remake.
10. WarGames
A remake of WarGames has the chance of instant success once released. The 1983 film followed a gamer stumbling into a high-tech military computer system, thinking it was a video game. This discovery leads him to a possible risk of throwing the world into World War III.
The world of technology has seen massive advancements since 1983. A remake can become more of a paranoid techno-thriller, commenting on America’s obsession with technology. It can also offer a story that tells audiences not to rely on the digital age. The chance to re-examine those ideas lands WarGames among the most tantalizing remakes of 80s classic movies.
11. Trading Places
Eddie Murphy lived as a king of 1980s comedy movies. Trading Places existed as a social satire on class and racial dynamics. These ideas have evolved since the 1980s, making a remake feel like a natural conceit. Told in a comedic way, the film can critique just how these issues remain prevalent in today’s society.
If told correctly, a remake can strike a balance to both inform and entertain audiences. That balance can make a joyous theatrical experience instead of feeling like a lecture. The results can create a film that honors the original while also carving a niche for itself in a new generation.
12. Flight of the Navigator
Flight of the Navigator became a revolutionary film in its time. Its story involved a mix of equal parts a time travel and alien movie.
A remake of the film has room to thrive for one important reason. With the world's current revelations of technology and possible alien life, it can have a timely quality. Simultaneously, it can keep a wondrous story that resonates with a younger generation. A remake can offer exciting results if the film keeps that sense of imagination and wonder. Add in updated visual effects, and it could help deliver a transporting experience for new and old fans alike.
13. Scrooged
Remaking Scrooged could seem like a pointless exercise. The original film's popularity could, in turn, hurt the legacy of the original. A remake could help in offering audiences an homage to classic Christmas tales. The themes of Christmas movies transcend any year they end up in.
Remaking this classic can reintroduce important ideas to modern audiences who might not have learned them yet. As long as audiences remain willing to go on the journey, a remake can be a rousing success. No matter your age or stage in life, the idea of a Scrooged remake can offer a substantive experience.
14. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles holds the title of one of the best Thanksgiving movies. Steve Martin and John Candy helped deliver a rousing and heartfelt story of friendship. Those sorts of feel-good, comedic movies have become harder to market, now primarily ending up streaming services.
A remake could remind audiences why these feel-good stories should still exist today. In a time of conflict in the world, a remake of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles can succeed by simply making viewers feel good. It can also help remind audiences of the charm of classic and straightforward theatrical comedies.
15. Big Trouble in Little China
This 1986 fantastical adventure has garnered cult status over the years. The film had the charismatic Kurt Russell but remained unable to prove itself financially successful.
A remake could give the story a second chance to shine. This also could put eyes on the original film, with folks seeking out the source material. If the film can update the effects and action sequences, its legacy can exist as more than just a nostalgia piece. It can show audiences that, to appreciate great cinema, viewers have to appreciate what came before. Simultaneously, a remake can reintroduce audiences to the idea of more fantastical action-adventure films.
16. The Last Starfighter
Over time, intergalactic space operas have become Hollywood staples. Franchises like Star Wars have revolutionized the genre, making them a landmark in cinema's history. With the hype of tentpole Sci-Fi (like the current Dune franchise), movies like The Last Starfighter have slipped through the cracks.
The story followed a high schooler discovering that his latest beaten video game (The Last Starfighter) served a bigger purpose. The game existed as a test designed to find the best team of starfighters to defend the galaxy. With the space opera sub-genre as popular as ever, a remake of The Last Starfighter could succeed for one reason. The advancements in digital effects can reinvent and honor the original story for audiences and fans of the original.
17. Commando
The 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger film Commando holds a nostalgic place for many viewers, with some considering it a classic. It served as a bare-knuckle, straightforward, and very entertaining action thriller. The story follows a retired special forces Colonel (Schwarzenegger) going after his old boss who kidnapped his daughter.
A remake of Commando can succeed in two different but highly entertaining ways. The first would thrive in its hard R rating, delivering the violent thrills fans would hope for. The second would focus on an action star who exerted that old-school movie star swagger, like a Tom Hardy-esque figure. Those elements combined can deliver a highly engaging and very entertaining remake.
18. Fatal Attraction
A television remake of Fatal Attraction happened in 2023. Garnering a poor critical response, a film remake could redeem the failure. The story of a married man whose affair comes back to haunt him has a chance to succeed in this modern day.
The industry has plenty of attractive actors to lead the charge, creating a pulse-pounding romance. A remake can explore modern-day gender politics, which would even further blur the line between heroes and villains. Audiences would question everything about the protagonists by asking one important question. Told over a two-hour framework, can the steamy concept entertain and provoke discussion?
19. Dead Poets Society
The thought of remaking a Robin Williams classic can seem daunting. His 1989 film Dead Poets Society might exist as one of the only possible options for a successful remake.
The original film's success involved using poetry to help the boys learn about self-expression. With the modern generation forgetting about poetry’s power, a remake can help remind viewers. Students today, in some cases, do not have the drive to properly learn literature. While it should not blatantly rip off the original film, a remake can help honor the legacy and power of words.
20. Stand By Me
Released in 1986, Stand By Me touched many audience members with its story. Saturated in 80s nostalgia, a remake can shake things up for modern audiences.
At its core, the story tells a successful tale of friendship and camaraderie among the protagonists. A remake can continue that message while existing in a different decade. This story can translate in a 1990s or 2000s timeframe, tackling different social issues and topics. That does not mean the story (specifically the finding of a dead body) has to change. Its central conceit can remain the same while modernizing the world and small-town sensibilities. At the same time, a remake can keep the central heart of the story, thriving off of a changing period.
