Why Is The Entertainment Industry So Obsessed With Remakes?

ARTICLE #25 OF "ASK THE QUESTIONS"

-OPINION-

So, a while ago, I posted something on Substack Notes and Twitter/X:

And now I’m here fulfilling what I said I’d do, even though it’s late—and, yep, you’re reading it right. Little House on the Prairie. Now, I know you might be thinking, “Why does this matter? It’s just another remake.” But here’s the thing: Why are they doing this? Why is the entertainment industry so obsessed with recycling these stories? Why can’t they come up with something new?

Let me break it down for you. It’s kind of like this weird, never-ending cycle. Instead of creating fresh, original content, the industry just keeps looking backwards. And the kicker? They’re often ruining these beloved classics by injecting their liberal politics into them. We’re not just getting remakes—we’re getting "woke" versions of stories that were perfectly fine as they were. It’s like they can’t let us have anything nice without making sure we’re getting their message, too.

First off, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: money. Hollywood isn’t stupid—they know a well-known brand name equals easy money. Think about it. When they announce that they’re doing a live-action remake of The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast, it’s not because they’re making some deep, artistic decision. No, they’re doing it because they know people are going to show up. We already know the characters, we already know the songs, and we already have that emotional connection. All they have to do is dust it off, slap on some shiny visuals, and boom—instant profit.

So why bother taking a risk on something original when you can just repackage the same thing and make bank? It’s an easy money grab. But here’s the problem with that: They’re not even trying to improve these remakes. A lot of them are just shot-for-shot re-creations, but with fancier technology. Take The Lion King (2019) for example. It was basically the same movie as the animated classic but with computer-generated animals that didn’t emote in the same way. It was, quite frankly, soulless.

And while we're on the subject of soul, let’s talk about what’s really going on under the surface with these remakes.

Now, here’s where things get a little… frustrating. Hollywood isn’t just stopping at remaking these classics—they’re actively changing them to push a political agenda. And that’s where things really go off the rails.

Take The Little Mermaid for example. The 2023 live-action version cast Halle Bailey as Ariel, who—surprise, surprise—was originally depicted as a red-headed, fair-skinned mermaid. Now, I’m not here to bash Halle Bailey—she’s a talented actress, and I’m sure she did her best with the role. But let’s be real: Disney didn’t cast her for her portrayal of Ariel in a traditional sense. They cast her because they wanted to make a statement about “diversity” and “representation.” It wasn’t about telling a better story, it was about checking off some diversity boxes and stirring up social media buzz.

Sure, some people loved the movie. Others, like me, just didn’t connect with it the way we did with the original. Because let’s face it: the magic of The Little Mermaid wasn’t just in its music and animation. It was about the world they built and the character of Ariel—an adventurous, curious girl who just wanted to be part of a world she didn’t fully understand. But now, Ariel has become a political symbol, rather than just a beloved character.

And don’t even get me started on the upcoming Snow White remake. Oh man. Rachel Zegler, who plays Snow White, has already said that this version is going to be “empowering.” Let me guess… instead of the classic story about Snow White overcoming adversity and finding love, we’re going to get some modern feminist “empowerment” storyline that completely misses the point. Snow White wasn’t about her being “empowered”—it was about her being kind, brave, and compassionate in the face of evil. The original story was about goodness prevailing. But now? It’s about checking off a progressive agenda, and that’s just not what we signed up for.

At this point, it feels like Hollywood has completely given up on creativity. They’ve got all the resources in the world—great writers, directors, actors—and instead of coming up with something new and exciting, they’re just milking the past for all it’s worth. It’s almost like they’re afraid of doing anything original because they might fail. But here’s the thing: failure is okay when you’re trying to innovate and create something new. We can’t keep recycling the same stories over and over.

And when they do try something original, it usually turns out to be a disaster. Remember The Star Wars sequel trilogy? Yeah, I’m sure they thought they could just “modernize” the story and add in all this “diversity” for the sake of it, but instead, they made a mess of a once-beloved franchise. They didn’t care about making a good movie—they cared about pushing a progressive narrative. That’s the problem with today’s Hollywood: they’re more focused on pushing an agenda than telling a story that matters.

If Hollywood wants to win back some trust, they need to stop leaning on these tired remakes and get back to telling original, compelling stories. The world is full of great ideas waiting to be explored, and there’s a huge audience out there just waiting for fresh content.

Take Top Gun: Maverick, for example. It’s a great example of a movie that both respects the past and embraces the future. They didn’t try to make a “woke” version of the original Top Gun—they just made a good movie that appealed to fans of the original while introducing a new generation to the story. It was a win all around.

But instead of doing that, we’re stuck in this never-ending loop of reboots and remakes, with Hollywood trying to “improve” on stories that were perfectly fine in the first place. Honestly, it’s getting a little old.

So, to answer the question: Why is the entertainment industry so obsessed with remakes? It’s simple. They’re doing it because it’s safe and easy. They don’t have to take any risks, and they’re guaranteed to make a profit because people recognize the name. But what they don’t realize is that they’re taking something we love and watering it down—sometimes to the point of no return.

And while it’s easy to point the finger at Hollywood for this, we’re also a part of the problem. We keep showing up for these remakes, and we keep watching them, hoping for something good. But if we really want Hollywood to stop with the remakes and get back to real storytelling, we need to start demanding better. Creativity is out there, but Hollywood’s got to stop being afraid of it.

In the end, if they keep this up, we’ll have nothing left but a hollowed-out version of the stories that once meant something. And that, my friends, is the real tragedy.