From Lilo & Stitch to Superman and Final Destination, familiar franchises are dominating this year’s cultural conversation thanks to big stars and bold vision.
In 2025, movie remakes aren’t just having a moment; they’re dominating the box office, festival circuits, and streaming queues.
From horror classics to superhero epics, Hollywood is doubling down on familiar IP in 2025. But this isn’t just about recycling old stories. Studios are going all in with high-profile talent, prestige directors, and major budgets to reintroduce familiar franchises in a way that feels fresh and culturally in-step.
Whether it’s Oscar Isaac playing Victor Frankenstein, Pedro Pascal leading the Fantastic Four, or Jennifer Love Hewitt returning to the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise, the talent attached to this year’s biggest remakes signals that these aren’t quick cash grabs; they’re marquee cultural moments.
What is a Remake, Really?
The term “remake” often gets used loosely, but at its core, it refers to a new production that reimagines or reinterprets an existing film or series. That can mean updating the original story, recasting the characters, or modernizing the setting–but the bones of the original are still present.
In today’s landscape, the term also umbrellas a few sub-genres: reboots, which often reset a franchise’s continuity with new vision and tone (like DC Studios‘ Superman); and live-action remakes, which Disney has essentially turned into their own brand, revamping animated classics with real-world visuals and CGI (Lilo & Stitch and Snow White). While not all reboots and live-action films are technically remakes, the lines have blurred, and audiences treat them as part of the same nostalgia-driven wave.
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2025: The Year of the Remake
If it feels like this year’s box office is filled with familiar titles, that’s because it is. Hollywood has gone full throttle on remakes in 2025, and audiences are turning out for them.
Horror came back swinging with I Know What You Did Last Summer, which brought back original stars Freddie Prinze Jr. and Hewitt in a Gen Z-targeted reimagining of the ’90s slasher. Comedy classic The Naked Gun returned with Liam Neeson donning the detective badge and Pamela Anderson stepping in as his glamorous partner, proving even slapstick has a place in the remake boom.
Disney continued its live-action hot streak with Snow White and Lilo & Stitch. The latter was a major win, grossing over $1 billion globally and signaling that even the quirkiest animated IP can thrive in live-action when handled with care. Meanwhile, DreamWorks jumped into the trend with a live-action How to Train Your Dragon, directed by Dean DeBlois, who also helmed the original animated films. The film struck the right chord, delivering emotional resonance and earning over $600 million worldwide.
Even the Smurfs got in on the action with a rebooted animated film headlined by Rihanna as Smurfette — one of several attempts to give beloved kid-friendly franchises a modern voice and musical edge.
Superhero films also leaned into the trend. James Gunn’s Superman introduced David Corenswet as the new Clark Kent, marking a bold new chapter for the DC universe. It’s proving to be a major win for the rebooted DC Universe, recently surpassing Zack Snyder‘s Man of Steel domestic box office total with $292.4 million in just under three weeks, making it the highest-grossing solo Superman film in U.S. history.
On the Marvel side, Fantastic Four: First Steps brought a high-gloss reintroduction to the franchise with Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach leading the team. With a retro-futuristic aesthetic and standout performances, the film earned critical praise and a $218 million global debut.
Final Destination: Bloodlines became another standout in 2025’s wave of successful remakes, debuting on May 16 and quickly cementing its place as the highest-grossing installment in the franchise. With a $51.6 million opening weekend and a domestic total of over $138 million, it nearly doubled the lifetime gross of the previous record-holder, The Final Destination (2009). The film marks a major revival for the franchise, which had been dormant for 14 years following Final Destination 5 in 2011. The Warner Bros. release proves there’s still a strong audience appetite for high-concept horror, especially when paired with a legacy title and fresh creative vision.
Remakes on the Horizon
The remake machine is far from slowing down.
Netflix is set to release Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein this November, starring Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the Creature. The film, which premiered at Venice and Toronto, promises to be a genre-bending take that leans into gothic horror and philosophical tension.
Looking ahead to 2026, Greta Gerwig will put her stamp on The Chronicles of Narnia for Netflix, an ambitious reboot that marks her first major fantasy endeavor post-Barbie. Disney also plans to release a live-action remake of Moana, with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui and a new actress stepping in as the titular voyager.
If 2025 is any indication, the remake era isn’t just alive, it’s evolving. With the right blend of talent, technology, and creative risk-taking, remakes have proven they can be more than just replays. They’re becoming cultural resets for beloved franchises.
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