No matter how many times a movie has been remade, it doesn't stop Hollywood from attempting it one more time, such as DC Comic's Batman: from Michael Keaton to Christian Bale, and now their latest edition: Ben Affleck (even George Clooney was cast as Batman in 1997; not your proudest role, buddy), it's clear we'll see plenty of movie remakes in the coming years.

But why are remakes so popular?

One of the biggest reasons remakes will likely continue is because it appeases shareholders and investors alike. For instance, let's say a production company is contemplating producing a movie about a profoundly skilled and witty detective, who solves the most arduous of crimes – do you tell them that, or do you tell them you're remaking Sherlock Holmes? When remaking films that were previously a grand success, you don't have to market near as much because a title like Sherlock Holmes is already well-known to many movie consumers and therefore sells itself to a massive degree. Aside from a few movie trailers, all the production company has to do is leak word to the media that said remake is taking place, and every social media addict across the globe will do the heavy lifting for them.

When it comes down to the nitty gritty of movie making, it's a business like any other (hence the term “showbiz”) and those involved are in it to make a profit. There's been plenty of blockbuster fails to hit the big screen: Godzilla (2000), Footloose (2011), and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), are a few to name. Some remakes never even accumulate a tenth of the money invested to produce them, resulting in very unhappy investors. So when producing a movie, as the producer you have to ask yourself: Do consumers what to see something entirely different, or do they want to see a remake; whether it's originally from a novel or a previous film? That's not to discount original content, as many great and successful original movies have been created: Now You See Me, The Hangover, Disney's Frozen, Olympus/London Has Fallen, but there are greater risks in producing original films versus remaking successful ones.

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Remake Successes:

Ocean's 11 (2001) – Production costs: $85,000,000. Global gross earnings: $417,000,000

This jaw-droppingly successful remake, starring an ensemble of famous actors, is one for the books. It's creative plot mixed with light suspense and witty dialogue allows for an enjoyable experience. Consumers must have agreed, as two sequels were released in the following years, which were equally as successful.

True Grit (2010) – Production costs: $38,000,000. Global gross earnings: $253,000,000

This revisionist western was well received by consumers, exceeding the film's budget by a healthy margin. It's clear that we, the movie loving people, still hold a place in our hearts for a good western.

The Italian Job (2003) – Production costs: $60,000,000. Global gross earnings: $176,100,000

This immensely successful film was not only a box-office hit, which included an all-star cast and intriguing plot, but it is also responsible for crediting universal fame toward the vehicles used in the movie: The Mini Cooper.

Remake Fails:

Conan the Barbarian (2011) – Production costs: $90,000,000. Global gross earnings: $48,795,021.

Unfortunately, this film didn't live up to the ones starring Arnold Schwarzenegger of the same name in the 1980s. As for why, it can likely be linked to the film's draggy storyline and gory battle scenes. Therefore, we're left with no other choice but to remember the film's former and more successful counterpart.

Green Lantern (2011) – Production costs: $200,000,000. Global gross earnings: $220,000,000

Although this film managed to earn some modest profit, it vastly fell short of it's predicted earnings. The Hollywood Reporter stated that they felt Green Lantern needed to earn upwards of $500,000,000 in order for it to be a “solid success”.

I guess there's a reason why Ryan Reynolds bailed on the sinking ship of Green Lantern and switched to the more monetarily successful train of Dead Pool.

Speed Racer (2008) – Production costs: $120,000,000. Global gross earnings: $93,900,000.

Despite the incredibly popular 1960s Japanese anime series, this film was an epic flop. Perhaps this was due to Marvel Studios' Iron Man debuting in theaters at the same time, or maybe it was because Speed Racer's plot lacked character development and authentic dialogue, as well as a storyline that seemed to go nowhere.

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We've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to remakes, but as long as consumers continue to spend their hard earned money visiting the cinema, Hollywood will no doubt continue to produce them.

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