Films you didn't know were remakes - from iconic romcoms to cult classics

For centuries, people have been turning to the movies for escape, inspiration, and to broaden their horizons.

Whether it's being whisked away in the heart-warming love of a classic romcom or getting a dose of Hollywood glamour with the most stylish movies, there's nothing that compares.

But did you know there are plenty of timeless movies that aren't originals? From direct remakes to loose adaptations and fresh interpretations, these films are a testament to the power of a remake.

Iconic films you probably didn't know were remakes

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

The 1998 romcom, You’ve Got Mail, is a beloved classic. With Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks starring alongside each other (and not for the first time) it’s a sweet, heartfelt story about two strangers who exchange emails.

Despite their connection online, their real-life dynamic isn’t quite as healthy. Tom Hanks plays a big, corporate businessman who is responsible for putting Meg Ryan’s independent bookstore out of business.

The film is heavily inspired by 1940’s The Shop Around the Corner (which is the name of Meg Ryan’s store in the film, as a sweet nod) which sees James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan play a manager and sales clerk who don’t get on in real life but have fallen in love over anonymous letters.

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Cruel Intentions (1999)

A defining movie of the MTV generation, 1999’s Cruel Intentions was scandalous, stylish and packed full of stars on the rise. Featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, the tale of wealthy New York private teenagers doing awful things to one another might feel like a precursor to the likes of Gossip Girl, but it’s actually a retelling of 1988’s Dangerous Liaisons, itself an adaptation of the 1782 novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

In 2001, George Clooney and Brad Pitt headed up an all-star cast in the glamorous crime caper, Ocean’s Eleven. It was a massive hit and spawned sequels, Ocean’s Twelve and Thirteen, plus an all-female spin-off, Ocean’s Eight.

Ocean’s Eleven wasn’t a complete original, though. It was a remake of the 1960 film of the same name, which also put together a starry cast of good-natured criminals (played by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin) getting their own back on villainous Vegas characters.

The Birdcage (1996)

A camp, heartwarming tale starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, The Birdcage poses some timeless scenarios in hilariously modern ways. Everyone understands the anxiety of two families meeting when people get married, but it reaches new heights when one family are Conservative politicians and the other are gay nightclub owners.

The Birdcage was an American adaptation of the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles, itself an adaptation of a 1973 play.

A Star is Born (2018)

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper broke hearts when they starred as star-crossed lovers in 2018’s A Star is Born. And while many people might have already been familiar with an earlier version of the film starring Barbra Streisand, that also was a remake.

In fact, the story of A Star is Born has been made five times – in addition to the Gaga and Barbra versions, the film was made in 1954, starring Judy Garland, and in 1937, starring Janet Gaynor. The 1937 was a remake of 1932’s What Price Hollywood?

Father of the Bride (1991)

Decades before they’d reunite in Only Murders in the Building, fans fell in love with the double act of Steve Martin and Martin Short in 1991’s Father of the Bride. The feel-good family classic also starred Diane Keaton and inspired a sequel. The original movie, however, was a remake of a 1950 movie which starred Elizabeth Taylor.

The Parent Trap (1998)

The 1998 comedy, The Parent Trap, helped cement a young Lindsay Lohan as a star on the rise. The story of twins who didn’t know the other one existed is a remake of the 1961 film of the same name that starred Hayley Mills. However, that was also an adaptation of Erich Kästner's 1949 German novel Lisa and Lottie (Das doppelte Lottchen).

Ben-Hur (1959)

From the iconic soundtrack to the chariot race which brought action to the big screen like never before, 1959’s Ben-Hur is regarded as a major milestone in motion pictures. But the Oscar-winning epic wasn’t the first time someone turned the epic tale into a film. There was a 1925 silent film that first adapted the 1880 novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.

The Ring (2002)

Starring Naomi Watts, The Ring was a massive box office success that terrified people across the world in 2002. The chilling tale of a mysterious video that people would watch and then die seven days later inspired two sequels, The Ring Two and Rings. The psychological horror was a remake of a 1998 Japanese film based on the 1991 novel by Koji Suzuki.

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

1986's Little Shop of Horrors put the story of a killer plant from outer space, a good-hearted shopkeeper and the down-and-out woman he loves onto the big screen. While many were aware the movie was a film adaptation of the already-successful Broadway musical, it’s lesser known that the musical was based on a 1960 low-budget horror movie.

Fatal Attraction (1987)

The film which saw the phrase ‘bunny boiler’ get added to the lexicon, 1987’s Fatal Attraction saw the legendary Glenn Close turn from Michael Douglas’ passionate affair to a living nightmare. The movie, written by James Dearden, was based on a 1980 short film he also wrote called Diversion.

Scarface (1983)

Making a style icon out of Michelle Pfeiffer – and introducing quotable lines like “Say hello to my little friend!” – 1983’s Scarface is an all-time classic. Whilst the 1983 version transplanted Al Pacino’s Tony Montana to Miami, the 1932 film which inspired Brian de Palma’s remake starred Paul Muni as Italian immigrant gangster Antonio ‘Tony’ Camonte.

He rose through the ranks of Chicago’s mean streets. Both films are inspired by a 1930 novel published by pulp writer, Armitage Trail, loosely inspired by the real-life Al Capone.

Three Men and a Baby (1987)

A feel-good classic, Three Men and a Baby sees three carefree bachelors have their lives turned upside down thanks to the arrival of one of their love children. Starring Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson, the film was a massive box office success and spawned the sequel, Three Men and a Little Lady. The first film was a remake of a French film, Trois hommes et un couffin.

CODA (2021)

CODA was Apple TV’s underdog of a film that ended up winning the 2022 Academy Award for Best Picture. Following a family where all but one are deaf, CODA is a remake of a Belgium film called La Famille Bélier (The Family Belier) released in 2014.

Vanilla Sky (2001)

A cerebral head-scratcher, Vanilla Sky starred Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz. The twisty thriller was a remake of the Spanish movie, Abre los Ojos. Interestingly, Penelope Cruz starred in both versions, playing the same role.

The Nutty Professor (1996)

Eddie Murphy was a busy man in 1996. He not only starred as the main character in the comedy, The Nutty Professor, but he played six other roles in the absurd comedy. The film is a remake of a 1963 movie of the same name, and that was actually a loose adaptation or spoof of the classic novel, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

John Tucker Must Die (2006)

A classic of the mid-00s genre of teen comedies, 2006’s John Tucker Must Die sees three women teaming up to bring down the cheating heartthrob who has been dating them all on the sly.

Playing along with him after discovering the truth, they plot to expose him and seek revenge. While not a remake, many fans might not know that the plot was loosely inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor.

The Hustle (2019)

2019’s The Hustle stars Anne Hathaway, in one of her most glamorous roles, and Rebel Wilson. They both play expert con women who place a wager on who can be the first to bring down a tech millionaire. The loser must leave town.

If it sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because it’s a gender-flipped remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which starred Steve Martin and Michael Caine. That film, too, was a remake of 1964’s Bedtime Story.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

An example of something being an adaptation of or inspired by another work, 10 Things I Hate About You wasn’t a remake per se, but it heavily borrows from the plot of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The film features plenty of references to Shakespeare too. For example, Julia Stiles plays Kat Stratford – Stratford being the birthplace of the Bard. Heath Ledger’s character has a surname of Verona, the location of Romeo and Juliet.

Barb Wire (1996)

Starring Pamela Anderson as the tough, no-nonsense owner of a bar in a future torn apart by a second American Civil War, many people might be quick to dismiss 1996’s Barb Wire. However, the film actually shares a lot with another motion picture considered one of the all-time greats, Casablanca.

While the World War Two romance has Humphrey Bogart star as a bar owner who helps the Allied Forces escape the Nazi forces in Madagascar, Pamela Anderson’s Barb helps the resistance flee the oppressive regime terrorising the dystopian state they live in.

Clueless (1995)

Packed full of great 90s fashion and iconic characters, 1995’s Clueless is an enduring classic. Following the antics of a beautiful, privileged popular school girl, Cher meddles in everyone’s love life, not realising her own match might be right under her nose. If that plot sounds familiar, it’s because Clueless is inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

A unique remake, 1956’s The Man Who Knew Too Much directed by Alfred Hitchcock is actually a remake of, well, 1934’s The Man Who Knew Too Much also directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The 1956 version has become the more memorable of the two, and it starred James Stewart and Doris Day.

Victor/Victoria (1982)

Starring Julie Andrews, 1982’s Victor/Victoria is a musical comedy which sees the icon play a woman… pretending to be a man… pretending to be a woman. The film is a remake of a German movie from 1933 called Viktor und Viktoria.

Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)

Starring Bette Midler and Nick Nolte, Down and Out in Beverly Hills skewered the ‘nouveau riche’ of California’s wealthy class. The iconic comedy was a remake of a French film, titled Boudu sauvé des eaux, which was adapted from a 1919 play of the same name.

A Bug’s Life (1998)

Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa is often cited as one of the most influential Japanese films of all time. It tells the story of a veteran samurai who gathers six of his men to protect a village from an overwhelming number of enemies.

The samurai teach the villagers to fight back and stand up for themselves. As strange as it may seem, this very unlikely source material inspired the Disney Pixar classic, A Bug’s Life, which swaps samurai and villagers for a collection of smaller bugs who band together to defeat the intimidating grasshoppers.

Showgirls (1995)

All About Eve is regarded as one of the best films ever made. Showgirls… is not. However, the two are basically the same. Despite one starring the iconic Bette Davis and being nominated for a total of 14 Oscars, and the other being panned as one of the biggest flops ever, the plotlines are nearly identical.

Both follow a seasoned showbiz legend who take a newbie under their wing only to have them usurped and betrayed in the hunt for fame. So while Showgirls isn't exactly a remake of All About Eve, it was definitely inspired by it.

Anyone But You (2023)

Against a relatively modest budget of $25 million, 2023’s Anyone But You went on to gross over $220 million. A massive hit and a return to form for the romantic-comedy genre, the charming film starred Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell as two people who fake a romance to avoid ruining their friend’s wedding – and to help them avoid issues involving their own personal lives. However, their fictional chemistry soon proves to be real.

The romcom was a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.

She’s The Man (2006)

2006’s She’s The Man starred Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum. Amanda Bynes played Viola, a talented football player who is devastated when her school dissolves the female club. So she switches up her look and pretends to be a boy – her own twin brother – to play on the boys’ team.

She soon starts to fall for Channing Tatum’s Duke, though, made complicated by the fact he thinks she’s not a she. The plot is inspired by William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

The Lion King (1994)

One of the most popular and beloved Disney animations of all time, 1994’s The Lion King combined exquisite storytelling with powerful songs. And while it’s not a direct remake of anything, the plot is heavily inspired by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

There are plenty of overt references to their inspiration too, from a murderous uncle to a fatherless prince seeking revenge, and even a scene where Scar holds a skull and speaks to it, similar to Hamlet’s famous "To Be or Not To Be" moment.

Some Like it Hot (1959)

Starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, Some Like It Hot is often considered one of the greatest comedies of all time. The classic caper – which follows two musicians who pretend to be women to hide from mobsters – is based on the 1935 French film Fanfare of Love.

An Affair to Remember (1957)

A sweeping weepie, An Affair to Remember is one of the most romantic films of all time. Starring Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant who are in the wrong relationships with other people, they agree to meet at the top of the Empire State Building if they see a future together. Fate intervenes. A tragedy strikes and stops Deborah from reaching him waiting there for her. But years later, they reunite. The film was a remake of a 1939 film Love Affair, starring Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

For most, The Wizard of Oz will always be synonymous with Judy Garland, an explosion of technicolour and the anthemic song, Over the Rainbow. However, the 1939 film wasn’t the first to adapt Frank L Baum’s literary works. There was a full-length silent feature directed by Larry Semon which was first released in 1925.