20 of the Best Movie Remakes Ever (and Where to Watch Them All Online)

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The movie remake always has and always will be a controversial debate for movie lovers everywhere. There are those that vehemently oppose the idea of touching a title that is already perfect as it is while on the opposite end, there are those that believe a new take on a film could give it a refreshing perspective not seen before. Regardless where an individual falls into this topic, one thing remains undeniable: there are a number of examples of movie remakes done incredibly well. These remakes strive to either take what worked for its predecessor and elevate it or they simply only utilize its name alone and provide an entirely different outlook on it. Read on to discover where to stream some of the best movie remakes of all time using services like Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix, Max and more!

Some of the best movie remakes capture the essence of their original films while introducing new perspectives and updated storytelling techniques. Martin Scorsese's The Departed is an example of this; the 2006 film is a gripping remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, which won critical acclaim and multiple awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture and the legendary director's first Oscar for Best Director.

Another notable remake is John Carpenter's The Thing, which reimagined 1951's The Thing from Another World with groundbreaking special effects and an atmosphere filled with intense horror. Peter Jackson's King Kong also deserves mention for its stunning visual effects and emotional depth, building on the legacy of the original. Additionally, Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven brought a stylish and modern twist to the original Rat Pack heist film from 1960, resulting in two successful sequels in 2004 and 2007 plus a remake in 2018. These remakes exemplify how filmmakers can honor the original material while creating something new and exciting for contemporary audiences.

Where to watch the best movie remakes online

Of course there are numerous examples of remakes that were executed horrendously and they should never see the light of day again. However, there are a ton of films throughout Hollywood history that not only meet the original in terms of quality, some of them even exceed it to become the superior work. Here are 20 of the best movie remakes and where to find them streaming online in the United States!

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  1. The Thing

    The Thing

    1982

    #1

    In the winter of 1982, a twelve-man research team at a remote Antarctic research station discovers an alien buried in the snow for over 100,000 years. Soon unfrozen, the form-changing creature wreaks havoc, creates terror... and becomes one of them.

  2. A Fistful of Dollars

    #2

    The Man With No Name enters the Mexican village of San Miguel in the midst of a power struggle among the three Rojo brothers and sheriff John Baxter. When a regiment of Mexican soldiers bearing gold intended to pay for new weapons is waylaid by the Rojo brothers, the stranger inserts himself into the middle of the long-simmering battle, selling false information to both sides for his own benefit.

  3. Scarface

    Scarface

    1983

    #3

    After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the state, controlling nearly all the cocaine that comes through Miami. But increased pressure from the police, wars with Colombian drug cartels and his own drug-fueled paranoia serve to fuel the flames of his eventual downfall.

  4. The Departed

    The Departed

    2006

    #4

    To take down South Boston's Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise. While an undercover cop curries favor with the mob kingpin, a career criminal rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there's a mole among them.

  5. Heat

    Heat

    1995

    #5

    Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.

  6. Dawn of the Dead

    Dawn of the Dead

    2004

    #6

    A group of survivors take refuge in a shopping mall after the world is taken over by aggressive, flesh-eating zombies.

  7. Ocean's Eleven

    Ocean's Eleven

    2001

    #7

    Less than 24 hours into his parole, charismatic thief Danny Ocean is already rolling out his next plan: In one night, Danny's hand-picked crew of specialists will attempt to steal more than $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. But to score the cash, Danny risks his chances of reconciling with ex-wife, Tess.

  8. The Fly

    The Fly

    1986

    #8

    When Seth Brundle makes a huge scientific and technological breakthrough in teleportation, he decides to test it on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a common housefly manages to get inside the device and the two become one.

  9. True Grit

    True Grit

    2010

    #9

    Following the murder of her father by a hired hand, a 14-year-old farm girl sets out to capture the killer. To aid her, she hires the toughest U.S. Marshal she can find—a man with 'true grit'—Reuben J. 'Rooster' Cogburn.

  10. Meet the Parents

    Meet the Parents

    2000

    #10

    Greg Focker is ready to marry his girlfriend, Pam, but before he pops the question, he must win over her formidable father, humorless former CIA agent Jack Byrnes, at the wedding of Pam's sister. As Greg bends over backward to make a good impression, his visit to the Byrnes home turns into a hilarious series of disasters, and everything that can go wrong does, all under Jack's critical, hawklike gaze.

  11. Cape Fear

    Cape Fear

    1991

    #11

    Sam Bowden is a small-town corporate attorney. Max Cady is a tattooed, cigar-smoking, Bible-quoting, psychotic rapist. What do they have in common? 14 years ago, Sam was a public defender assigned to Max Cady's rape trial, and he made a serious error: he hid a document from his illiterate client that could have gotten him acquitted. Now, the cagey Cady has been released, and he intends to teach Sam Bowden and his family a thing or two about loss.

  12. Ben-Hur

    Ben-Hur

    1959

    #12

    In 25 AD, Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew in ancient Judea, opposes the occupying Roman empire. Falsely accused by a Roman childhood friend-turned-overlord of trying to kill the Roman governor, he is put into slavery and his mother and sister are taken away as prisoners.

  13. The Wizard of Oz

    The Wizard of Oz

    1939

    #13

    Young Dorothy finds herself in a magical world where she makes friends with a lion, a scarecrow and a tin man as they make their way along the yellow brick road to talk with the Wizard and ask for the things they miss most in their lives. The Wicked Witch of the West is the only thing that could stop them.

  14. 3:10 to Yuma

    3:10 to Yuma

    2007

    #14

    In Arizona in the late 1800s, infamous outlaw Ben Wade and his vicious gang of thieves and murderers have plagued the Southern Railroad. When Wade is captured, Civil War veteran Dan Evans, struggling to survive on his drought-plagued ranch, volunteers to deliver him alive to the "3:10 to Yuma", a train that will take the killer to trial.

  15. Invasion of the Body Snatchers

    #15

    The residents of San Francisco are becoming drone-like shadows of their former selves, and as the phenomenon spreads, two Department of Health workers uncover the horrifying truth.

  16. The Magnificent Seven

    #16

    An oppressed Mexican peasant village hires seven gunfighters to help defend their homes.

  17. True Lies

    True Lies

    1994

    #17

    A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used car salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United States.

  18. The Grudge

    The Grudge

    2004

    #18

    An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim.

  19. Scent of a Woman

    Scent of a Woman

    1992

    #19

    Charlie Simms is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.

  20. Freaky Friday

    Freaky Friday

    2003

    #20

    Mother and daughter bicker over everything -- what Anna wears, whom she likes and what she wants to do when she's older. In turn, Anna detests Tess's fiancé. When a magical fortune cookie switches their personalities, they each get a peek at how the other person feels, thinks and lives.