It’s no secret that Hollywood is ever-so-slightly obsessed with a good old-fashioned reboot. Whether the original was made 10 years ago or 80, these stories are all fair game for a modern reimagining. We’ve rounded up the best movie and TV show reboots of 2019 (and beyond), and it’s truly impressive what a wide range of remakes are peppered across the upcoming months. From classic horror movies to beloved teen shows, these 2019 reboots have something for everyone — and reminded us of old classics we haven’t seen in years.
Of course, many of the movies and shows included on this list have more than one adaptation in their past (e.g. Little Women). But in our minds, that just speaks to the enduring nature of these stories, and the myriad interpretations that can come through over the years. Reboots aren’t just an opportunity to revisit beloved characters (though they are that too!). They’re an opportunity to examine how our culture has changed, and how our stories and values change with it. To that end, many of the reboots on this list have made concerted efforts to improve upon the gender and racial diversity of the originals: the Men in Black and The Hustle remakes are both good examples. That’s the real power of reboots: they make you appreciate the original all over again, while showing where there’s potential for improvement.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Here are the must-watch nostalgia movies and TV shows you should binge this weekend (before you go and watch the 2019 version).
‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ (1990-2000)
The Beverly Hills, 90210 reboot is here — as in, starting this August. But before you dive back in to the drama, may we suggest revisiting its ’90s inspiration? The reboot will follow the 90210 actors playing exaggerated versions of their real-life personas, so the original is really your only shot for seeing another flash of Kelly Taylor or Brandon Walsh. Stock up on tissues — you’ll need them every time you’re remembered of Luke Perry.
‘The Hills’ (2006-2010)
It’s a good year for fans of high-octane drama set in Southern California! The Hills: New Beginnings features many original cast members, but is missing a few key players like Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari. If those were your faves (same), you’ll have to go back to the original to see their antics. Also, New Beginnings will make a lot more sense if you take the time to refresh yourself on the Speidi-Stephanie Pratt drama — trust us.
‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2000)
We’re pretty excited for this reboot: Elizabeth Banks is directing and starring (as Bosley, no less), and Naomi Scott, Kristen Stewart and Noah Centineo are rounding out the all-star cast. We can also see why it’s a perfect choice for a remake: Three girls who kick ass and take no prisoners is very on-theme for 2019. That being said, we’ll always have a warm place in our hearts for the 2000s trio of Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore.
‘The Addams Family’ (1991)
Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christina Ricci… these stars are indelibly linked to their Addams Family characters in our minds, and we’re not sure we can imagine better incarnations — though we’re open to being proven wrong. If you’re feeling very nostalgic, you can throw it all the way back to the 1964-1966 series. But neither will be quite like the October 2019 remake, an animated film starring Oscar Isaac and Charlize Theron. However it turns out, it has to be better than the 1998 Addams Family Reunion…right?
‘Veronica Mars’ (2004-2007)
If you haven’t already watched the new Veronica Mars, what are you waiting for?! The full season has been waiting for you on Hulu since July 26 — though if you have already waited this long, it could be a good idea to give the first three seasons a watch before you start. While you’re at it, you can rewatch the 2014 Veronica Mars movie too: Kristen Bell stars as Veronica Mars in all three adaptations, and while the timeline may not be exact, it does follow her story across the years. No matter what version you spring for, you’ll definitely be won over by Bell’s performance. Whether it’s 2004 or 2019, the woman is charming (and a pretty good detective to boot).
‘Little Women’ (1994)
It’s one of the most hotly anticipated reboots of the year: Directed by Greta Gerwig, and starring Meryl Streep, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen and Timothée Chalamet, there’s very little this crew could put together that we wouldn’t be excited for. But Little Women has a long history worth honoring before you rewrite these characters in your mind. Our favorite is the 1994 adaptation starring Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Susan Sarandon and Christian Bale; this ’90s classic can even compete with the 2019 version’s star power — and the love story of Jo and Laurie here is one we have a hard time forgetting.
‘Terminator’ (1984)
How can it be a reboot when the last Terminator movie was only in 2015, you ask? Good question! The upcoming Terminator: Dark Fate (scheduled for a November 2019 release) is the first to involve James Cameron since 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Cameron has teased that Dark Fate will kick off a new trilogy, and will have both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton reprising their iconic roles (Hamilton’s character Sarah Connor hasn’t been seen since T2). The 1984 original is worth re-watching for Hamilton’s performance alone: But it’s also just one of the best sci-fi movies out there.
‘The L Word’ (2004-2009)
The reboot only just got its release date (well, date-ish — it’s scheduled for late fall on Showtime), and that means you have the rest of summer to refresh your memory on the original. It’s even more important with this particular reboot, as they’ll be picking up with the same three stars: Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey, and Katherine Moennig. The L Word: Generation Q will be exploring a new generation of queer culture, and the show’s creators are adamant about creating an inclusive, modern representation of how queer life has changed since the show went off the air.
‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ (1988)
This remake is such a thorough rewriting that many may not even recognize it as a remake: and yet, Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson’s buddy comedy The Hustle is nearly identical in plot to 1988 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. If you like movies about con men, movies with spectacularly funny leads, or movies with a great twist at the end, you’ll love Dirty Rotten Scoundrels — but you already knew that, didn’t you? This movie’s an old classic for a reason, and we’re so on board with the fact that they did a female-led remake.
‘Men in Black’ (1997)
Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth’s 2019 Men in Black reboot may have been panned by critics, but we totally understand why the MiB world seemed ripe for a remake — especially with a cast as talented (and OK, hot) as Thompson and Hemsworth. Then again, the magical bickering of Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith was understandably hard to re-create, as is the free-floating world of aliens we first fell in love with back in the ’90s. Tend to your disappointment over the 2019 film by diving back into the original series and savoring each quip — maybe another 20 years out, they can get a remake right.
Leave a Comment