Do You Know If These Movies Are Remakes Or Originals?

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These days, it feels like every movie that hits theaters is either a sequel, a remake, or a reboot. And while many of these movies are excellent in their own right, there are still plenty of times you end up walking out of the theater feeling like you've just paid to see the same movie twice. But so long as these franchise films continue to rake in the big bucks at the box office, don’t expect Hollywood to change its tune anytime soon.

For this quiz, we’ll be seeing if you can pick out the original films from the remakes. Who knows, it may turn out that one of your all time favorite movies was actually adapted from a decade's old film that you’ve never even heard of. And just to avoid any confusion, a series reboot does not automatically constitute a remake. For instance, Spider-Man: Homecoming marks the beginning of a totally new series of stand-alone Spider-Man films, but since its story is totally different from 2002’s Spider-Man, and even 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man, we can't exactly call it a remake. In fact, maybe we should just stay away from superhero movies altogether. Therefore, we’ll just agree that a remake is a movie that very obviously takes its story (and often its title) from an earlier film.

So without further explanation, let’s see if you can separate these remakes from the original films!

Question 1

Planet of the Apes

Though this 2001 film was a massive financial success, grossing over $350 million against a $100 million budget, the film was absolutely lambasted by critics, particularly the ending, which the director even admitted made no sense and was left unexplained for a possible sequel, which never came to fruition. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as an Air Force astronaut who unwittingly travels through a portal and ends up on a planet of talking apes. Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the planet he’s actually arrived on is future Earth.

Question 2

King Kong

After spending a decade working on the amazingly ambitious Lord of the Rings trilogy, you would think that director Peter Jackson would be in the need for a long vacation. But instead, Jackson made King Kong, another three-hour epic that raked in boatloads of money at the box office. The film stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black, and Adrien Brody, who travel to a remote jungle island with plans to make a movie. Little do they know that Skull Island is brimming with dangers of every kind, including a giant gorilla that has no intention of being put in a zoo.

Question 3

Ocean’s Eleven

George Clooney. Brad Pitt. Matt Damon. Julia Roberts. Talk about one of the greatest ensemble cast ever created! And we’re barely scratching the surface of the number of stars that popped up in this 2001 Steven Soderbergh heist film — not to mention its two sequels. The film follows con man Danny Ocean (Clooney) who cobbles together a team of misfits and crooks, everywhere from pickpocket to an expert bank robber, in order to rip off three of Las Vegas’s top casinos at once.

Question 4

Fight Club

It’s hard to believe that such a supremely well-crafted and well-acted film like Fight Club could receive negative reviews upon its initial release, which were largely due to the film’s explicit violence and the lack of morals that the characters seem to display. But over time, Fight Club has become regarded as one of the most important movies of the 1990s. The film was based on the Chuck Palahniuk novel of the same name -- an author who’s a had a string of good luck when it comes to Hollywood wanting to adapt his material.

Question 5

Jurassic Park

Based on the novel of the same name by famed sci-fi writer Michael Crichton, this 1993 film by Steven Spielberg went on to become one of the most popular blockbusters of all time, grossing over a billion dollars worldwide and spawning a successful franchise that will continue with a fifth film, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which is already set to be released in June of 2018. But no matter how many sequels this series continues to turn out, none of them can seem to match the sheer spectacle and awe of this early '90s adaptation.

Question 6

The Magnificent Seven

This 2016 Western film was directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke. The story centers around a group of gunslingers, led by United States Marshal Sam Chisolm (Washington) who are brought together to defend the small town of Rose Creek after it is pillaged by the ruthless criminal Bartholomew Bogue, played by Peter Sarsgaard. The film received lukewarm reviews but went on to be a box office success in the States and abroad.

Question 7

The Thing

This 1980s sci-fi horror film that centers around a group of scientist battling a mysterious alien organism in Antarctica was directed by John Carpenter and stars Kurt Russel in the role R.J. MacReady, the groups experience helicopter pilot. Though the film is regarded as a cult classic today, it was actually considered a box office failure at the time of its release, making just $19.6 million against a $15 million budget. In fact, the film has gained such a following over the years that it inspired a prequel with the same name that was released in 2011.

Question 8

Inception

After the massive success of 2008’s The Dark Knight, writer/ director Christopher Nolan teamed up with Leonardo DiCaprio for was was easily one of the most anticipated movies of 2010. The film follows Dominic Cobb, a thief who sneaks into the dreams of others to extract information for cash when he’s tasked with the nearly impossible feat of implanting an idea into someone’s mind. The film was, of course, a massive success — but do you know if this intricate story about dreams had already been told on the big screen before?

Question 9

The Matrix

Directed by the Wachowskis, this 1999 sci-fi action film revolves around the idea that we are all living in a simulated reality known as the Matrix. While few will ever learn the true nature of their lives, a computer hacker known as Neo is awakened from his dream reality and tasked with taking down the machines that have seized control of the entire human race. Though it’s now impossible to think of Neo being played by anybody but Keanu Reeves, actors Will Smith and Nicholas Cage were among a number of other stars original sought after for the film.

Question 10

I Am Legend

Though I Am Legend is a mostly entertaining movie in its own right — which only suffers from some outdated CGI and a weak ending — the movie actually pales in comparisons to the 1954 Richard Matheson novel of the same name. The film stars Will Smith as a former Army doctor who appears to be the sole survivor of a worldwide plague that has rendered the rest of the population into mindless zombies/ vampires. The film was a commercial success, continuing Smith’s reign as a bankable action star. But do you know if this story was adapted before?

Question 11

The Revenant

One of the most unbelievable aspects of The Revenant is not its cinematography (which really needs to be seen on the big screen to be fully appreciated) but how the story is actually based on the true account of frontiersman Hugh Glass after surviving a brutal bear attack. Though a number of story elements have, of course, been altered, Leonardo DiCaprio dove head first into his portrayal of Hugh Glass, performing many of the film's stunts himself, and finally earning the actor a long awaited Oscar.

Question 12

Scarface

Written by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian De Palma — two filmmakers who are no strangers to controversy — this 1983 film stars Al Pacino as a Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who becomes one of the most powerful drug kingpins of all time. Though the film was a box office success, critics were dived over its excessive drug use and its glamorization of violence. Talks of a remake first started in 2011, though just recently the new film has been given a 2018 release date.

Question 13

The Fly

David Cronenberg, the master of body horror films, teamed up with eclectic actor Jeff Goldblum to make this 1986 sci-fi horror masterpiece, The Fly. The film revolves around Seth Brundle, a brilliant, albeit strange, scientist who creates a world changing device that enables instantaneous teleportation. However, when Seth takes a trip through the machine, unaware that a fly is inside the pod with him, the experiment has a catastrophic and gruesome outcome. The Fly went on to receive critical and commercial success and continues to be regarded as one of the best films in the sub-genre.

Question 14

True Grit

Though this 2010 film went on to received a whopping 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture of the Year, it failed to actually take home any of those awards. Though that far from means this film isn’t worth your while. True Grit was written and directed by the Coen Brothers and stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Hailee Steinfeld. The film was based on the 1968 novel of the same name, which revolves around a young girl who recruits an elderly Deputy Marshall to help bring justice to her father’s killer.

Question 15

The Ring

Directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) and starring Naomi Watts, this 2002 psychological horror film is just as terrifying now as it was at the time of its release. The film centers around a haunted video tape that results in death exactly seven days after the viewer watches it. The film was praised by critics, particularly for avoiding the cliched gore and jump scares that are synonymous with horror films, in exchange for an overall eerie and downright creepy tone throughout the film.

Question 16

The Terminator

Terminator

Written and directed by James Cameron, this 1984 film staring Arnold Schwarzenegger went on to spawn one of the most successful sci-fi franchises of all time. The film is set in 1980s Los Angeles, where a cyborg arrives to terminate Sarah Conner, the woman who will eventually give birth to the leader of a future resistance against the evil machines. The film was a critical and commercial success, which paved way for the sequel, T2, which somehow managed to be twice as better as the first film.

Question 17

Minority Report

Before Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg teamed up to make War of the Worlds, the duo got together to make this lesser-known (and far better) sci-fi film that was released in 2002. Here, Cruise stars as a police detective who’s task with arresting future murderers, when his own name inevitably pops up for incarceration. The film was very loosely based on a 1956 short story, so is there any chance that it was adapted before Spielberg got his hands on it?

Question 18

Shrek

Based on the 1990 children’s fairy tale book of the same name, this 2001 animated film proved that “kid’s movies” could be just as entertaining for the parents to watch thanks to a healthy supply of pop culture references and double entendres. Micke Meyers supplied the voice of the lovable green ogre Shrek, while Eddie Murphy voiced his fast-talking friend Donkey. The film was a massive success, grossing over $480 million against a $60 million budget and spawning a number of just as popular sequels. But had Shrek been adapted before?

Question 19

Dawn of the Dead

Before he started directing comic book movies and helped make the DCEU what it is today, Zack Snyder directed a zombie film for his first feature. Dawn of the Dead centers around a group of survivors who barricade themselves in a mall at the onset of a zombie apocalypse, and survived there for months before ultimately deciding they’ll need to leave a make a more sustainable life for themselves elsewhere. Dawn of the Dead was a critical and box office success, grossing over $100 million against a $26 million budget.

Question 20

Let Me In

Released in 2010 to critical acclaim, this American horror movie follows a young boy who befriends and eventually falls in love with a female vampire. The film was directed by Matt Reeves, who brought audiences the equally original 2008 found-footage film Cloverfield, and Reeves is already set to direct Ben Affleck in the next solo Batman film. Though the film failed to gain any traction while in theaters, Let Me In was ranked as one of the best films of 2010.

Question 21

Fargo

Though the Coen Brother claimed that this 1996 black comedy was inspired by a true story, which earned them an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, it was later revealed that the filmmakers weren't exactly telling the whole truth. The film stars William H. Macy as a husband who arranges for his wife to be kidnapped by two lowly criminals so he can collect part of the ransom. The film went on to inspire the FX original series which takes place in the same frozen setting while maintaining much of the back-humor that made the film such a success.

Question 22

Dredd

Though it was only released back in 2012, this sci-fi action film has already gained a respectable cult following after underperforming at the box office when it grossed just over $41 million against a possibly $45 million budget. The film stars Karl Urban as Dredd, a supposed peace keeper who acts as judge, jury and executioner in a dystopian future where thousand upon thousands of crimes are committed daily. The film, which received mostly positive reviews from critics, was based on the British comic series titled 2000 AD.

Question 23

The Departed

Easily one of the best films of the 2000s, The Departed finds some of the best actors working today, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon, teaming up with one of the greatest directors of all time, Martin Scorsese. The film revolves around an undercover cop and an undercover mole in the State Police who are working to either take down or protect Irish mob boss Frank Costello. The film was a massive success, which went on to win Best Picture and Best Director — a first for Matin Scorsese.

Question 24

Heat

Easily one of the greatest crime/ heist thrillers ever made, Heat centers around a master thief and an LAPD detective who find that they’re not all that different from one another. The film was directed by Michael Mann, and stars Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. As if that’s not already enough to make you watch (or re-watch) this American crime classic, Heat also contains one of the most intense and realistic shootout throughout downtown Los Angeles that has ever been put to film.

Question 25

Inglourious Basterds

World War II movies and fantasy epics are two genres that don’t often go together, but Quentin Tarantino is known for blending genres and adding a heavy dose of his signature style to make some of the most original movies of our time. For his 2013 release, Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino brought together a massive cast of American and foreign actors to intertwine a number of make-believe threads that altered the outcome of World War II — including an epic assassination of all the top Nazi, along with Hitler, during a movie screening gone very wrong.

Question 26

Forrest Gump

You’d probably be pretty surprised to find out that this iconic American movies was actually based of a 1986 novel of the same name. But how surprising would it be if this film starring Tom Hanks was actually a remake? Well, that’s for you to decide. But one thing remains certain, which is that this 1994 film is easily one of the most popular and most quotable movies of all time. But although we love Forrest Gump, it’s still a little hard to believe that this film won Best Picture over both Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption.

Question 27

The Shawshank Redemption

One of the greatest movies of the decade, this 1994 prison drama was based on the Stephen King novella titled Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. The story follows Andy Dufresne, a man falsely accused of murder who’s sentences to spend the rest of his life in prison, where he befriends fellow inmate Ellis “Red” Redding. Though the film has gone on to be one of the most beloved films of its era, The Shawshank Redemption actually underperformed at the box office, and failed to win any of its seven Academy Award nominations.

Question 28

Die Hard

Did you know that Die Hard — one of the most iconic action movies of all time — was actually based on a novel written back in the 1970s? The name of the novel was actually Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorop, who had a number of his books made into popular action films. But when Die Hard was in pre-production, it was actually suggested that the film be altered into a sequel of Commando with Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his role from that film. But luckily, that plan never came to fruition.

Question 29

Dinner for Schmucks

After starring together in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd joined back up for the 2010 comedy Dinner for Schmucks, where Rudd plays Tim Conrad, who is tasked with finding an eccentric idiot (Carell) and brining him to a business dinner party. The film also stars Zach Galifinakis as Therman Murch, one of the eccentric “schmucks” invited to the dinner party who claims to be able to control other people’s minds.

Question 30

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Based on the 1955 novel of the same name by Jack Finney, Invasion of the Body Snatchers was released in 1978 starring Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy and Jeff Goldblum. Set in San Francisco, the story follows a small group of people who discover that aliens are carrying out a secret invasion by becoming perfect copies of their human hosts. Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig starred in a 2007 remake, but was this story also made before the 1978 classic?

Question 31

True Lies

True Lies has a little bit of everything: action, comedy, romance, adventure. Which is probably why it went on to be the third highest grossing film of 1994. The film stars Jaime Lee Curtis as Helen Tasker, a sedated housewife who first suspects her husband of cheating on her, only to find out that he’s actually an undercover counter-terrorism agent. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the special agent and proved yet again that anytime he teams up with James Cameron the two know how to make a boatload of money.

Question 32

Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko Frank

Initially a box office bomb, this 2001 sci-fi thriller has become one of the biggest cult films in recent memory, thanks to its surprising number of DVD sales and the fact that the film’s main actor, Jake Gyllenhaal, has since become one of the biggest stars of his generation. The puzzling story follows the life of a troubled teen who talks to a giant metallic bunny rabbit who warns him that the world is going to end. So is there any chance that this story was told before?

Question 33

The Conjuring

Few movies released today are as effectively creepy as The Conjuring, a 2012 horror film based on the real events that took place in a haunted house in 1971 Rhode Island. Directed by James Wan, the film stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as the real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, while Lilie Taylor and Ron Livingston play the married couple whose house is haunted. The film has inspired a sequel and a spin-off, with a number of other connected films currently in the works.

Question 34

An American Werewolf in London

80sPosterQuiz American Werewolf In London

Released in 1981, this horror comedy centers around an American backpacking across Europe when he is attacked by a werewolf and has one month before he will transform into a grotesque beast of his own. Directed by John Landis, the film stars David Naughton as the ill-fated traveler and Jenny Agutter as the nurse who looks after him. The film was a critical and commercial success, winning the first Academy Award for Best Makeup and going on to become a cult classic.

Question 35

Little Shop of Horrors

80sPosterQuiz Little Shop of Horrors

There’s pretty much only two movies that come to mind when you think of a comedy-horror/ rock musical: The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Little Shop of Horrors. The latter of those two films was released in 1986 starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Green, and Steve Martin. The bizarre story revolved around a flower shop owner who acquires a plant that feeds on human flesh and over the decades this film has achieved a strong cult following. But is it possible that this quirky story was told before?

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