Reboot: 5 80s Movies That Need 3D Updates
With Gremlins all but officially getting the 3D remake treatment, other 80s films are bound to follow. Here’s our list of five other 80s flicks that should return to the silver screen in 3D.
The Running Man – If a studio handed me a cool 100 mil and told me to remake a movie — I know, why the hell would they do that? — this is the one I’d remake. I love the cheesy Ah-nuld flick, but in the midst of a reality TV craze with amazing new film technology at our disposal, this one could be a hyper-real sci-fi/action blockbuster the second time around. It would be much more like the Stephen King novel than the Paul Michael Glaser version. Who would I pick to play Ben Richards? Chiwetel Ejiofor. Anyone who’s seen Redbelt and Serenity knows this is the man to bring back that “one mean motherfucker” in a much more serious film.
Top Gun – Bring Tom Cruise back (not to mention Val Kilmer as well) as a kooky instructor out at Top Gun and fly planes into our faces until we get nauseous. With the amount of potential enemies we have across the globe, this one would be easy to write. This sequel would be The Color Money to Top Gun‘s The Hustler, with Cruise playing Paul Newman and someone else playing Cruise (probably Cruise-in-training Taylor Lautner…oh well). Did that confuse the bejesus out of you? Good. Anyway, Cruise is at his best when he’s goofy (Tropic Thunder), and everybody has “the need for speed.” How else do you explain four Fast and the Furious movies? OK, besides Paul Walker and Vin Diesel needing work?
The Fly – The 80s version itself was a remake, so we already know it can be rebooted. David Cronenberg wants to once again direct the gruesome gnat, and I say sign him up. Nicolas Cage wants to star? Probably going to have to say that’s not a good idea, given what he did to The Wicker Man remake. Then again, the 80s pick starred Jeff Glodblum, so maybe the Cagester would be perfect? Regardless, we’d trust Cronenberg’s judgment if he were given the green light on this project.
Weird Science – I love the plot — computer geek can’t get a girl so he creates one. I think the way you’d update it is to have him actually create a robot android who, while hot and funny, basically turns into the Terminator with tits. Hilarity and a lot of shit getting blown up would ensue. Give it to the cats who directed Zombieland. Jesse Eisenberg would be a perfect star, too. I love the original, but it might be one of the most outdated movies in the history of cinema. I love John Hughes, but John Hughes, rest his soul, is dead. There was only one John Hughes and only one time for John Hughes. Time for a new take.
Maximum Overdrive – Back in 1988, Stephen King (again!) directed an accidental parody of his own source material. This time around, the apocalyptic Overdrive wouldn’t be so campy. Here’s my vision: Transformers without the Autobots or the Michael Bay. Due to weird cosmic activity, machines become alive for 8 days, 29 minutes and 23 seconds. Not only that, but they also become genocidal maniacs. This remake would be perfect for District 9 director Neil Blomkamp, who could likely deliver more bang for the buck than just about anyone out there. Sign him up!
