Among horror fandom, there are countless contentious discussions about subgenres, favorite final girls, franchises that should learn when to call it quits, and beyond. But one topic in particular tends to cause metaphorical fires: the horror remake. There are people who insist that no classic horror movie needs to be remade for a modern audience, while others are quick to write off any horror remake before they see it—which, oftentimes, is a valid response.
But it’s not a sin among horror to remake a film if one can find inspiration within its predecessor, especially if the filmmakers are doing something completely different with the material. In fact, there are more than a handful of decent horror remakes out there—just look at the recently released Wolf Man, a remake of the 1941 film The Wolfman. Now that we’re a quarter of the way through the 21st century, we’re here to talk about some of the best horror remakes released over the past 25 years, and what makes them stellar (we’re not including reboots, though, such as the 2013 Evil Dead). Read on to find out which titles made the cut.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
The iconic original version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre from 1974 focused on a group of friends who end up crossing paths with the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface and his family, leading to nothing but terror and death. Yet more so than the original, a feeling of hopelessness drips from every pore of this top-tier remake—one might say it’s even more relentless than the original film for most of its runtime. Featuring an iconic white-tank-top-wearing Jessica Biel as the final girl, the remake captures the grime and grit of its predecessor, but it puts the characters through the wringer in even more brutal ways. Plus, without the financial success of this remake early on in the early 2000s, we likely wouldn’t have gotten many of the other great titles on this list and beyond over the past few decades.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Quick-moving zombies are a thing of nightmares, and Dawn of the Dead captures exactly why that is. As a zombie outbreak slowly takes over the film’s world, a crew of survivors take refuge in an abandoned mall. Much like George Romero’s original 1978 film, Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead deliberately uses the undead as a means of social commentary. Considering horror is a political genre at its core, there’s a lot to be said about how Dawn of the Dead tackles the zombie-like nature of American consumerism. It’s a film that’s just as much about relentlessly violent flesh-eating creatures as it is about human behavior in the face of death. There’s a fair amount to appreciate about this remake and how many outbreak-based horror films were influenced by it.
House of Wax (2005)
Contrary to what you might think, Paris Hilton does a decent job with her performance in this remake of the 1953 film House of Wax. After stopping in an eerie museum, a group of friends ends up dealing with a pair of murderous brothers. In contrast to the relatively tame Vincent Price film it’s based on, the remake is mean to its characters and has no qualms about it—there’s suffering and there’s also triumph for the individuals who manage to survive. Even 20 years later, the practical effects are great, the chase scenes are solid, and the climax is intense. More closely aligning with the 1979 slasher Tourist Trap than the original House of Wax, this remake might catch you by surprise.
The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
If you weren’t scared of the desert before, the 2006 Hill Have Eyes remake is sure to change that. The film follows a family that ends up stranded in the middle of nowhere and are hunted down by mutant cannibals. The original 1977 film by Wes Craven is certainly not without its own creepiness, but this remake is relentless in its aim to terrorize the audience—all of the most unlikely characters end up fighting back, and it’s quite the treat. The remake isn’t for the faint of heart, especially if the idea of cannibalism is too gross to deal with. But it’s a hellish rollercoaster that you won’t want to get off if the mutants don’t deter you. There’s also social commentary surrounding neglect from the American government (the film was notably released in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina), what it means to survive, and the perception of people who are othered. It’s a tremendously bloody remake that delivers on its promise of scares.
Halloween (2007)
A potentially controversial inclusion here, Rob Zombie’s Halloween follows Michael Myers’ adolescence to his adult years and his murderous rampage in order to get to his ultimate victim: Laurie Strode. Discussing this remake with fans of the Halloween franchise is shaky at best, but the fact remains that this version of John Carpenter’s 1978 original does something different and, regardless of whether that works, is essentially what a remake is meant to do. The film explores the nature of evil, and the characters are put through more than enough pain throughout. There’s plenty of gruesome kills and other violence that sticks with you long after the movie’s over. And while the dialogue is the weakest aspect of the film, Halloween mostly remains memorable due to the interesting swings it takes.
The Last House on the Left (2009)
There are occasions where a remake is infinitely better than the original, and The Last House on the Left is one of those. The film follows a woman named Mari who is brutalized, left for dead, and is forced to crawl back home to her parents’ lake house where the same criminals who harmed her have taken refuge. Instead of the tonally strange insertion of silliness that Wes Craven’s 1972 original possesses, this remake goes for the jugular, its sense of dread thrumming as soon as Mari and her friend are taken hostage. The film has achieved a level of controversy due to the sexual violence that occurs within it, but its depiction is never anything less than horrifying. If anything, it only makes the revenge sweeter.
The Crazies (2010)
The Crazies is a remake of George Romero’s 1973 film of the same name, and it follows a town that descends into madness due to the accidental detonation of a bioweapon. The nerve-wracking tone that’s present within the film is very effective (not to mention the fact that infection horror more broadly has become even more uncomfortable to watch post-pandemic, as we continue to live with the presence of COVID), and the infected people aren’t your typical mindless zombies, either. Other than the social commentary (the deliberate critique of the military, which is central to the film), the pacing is just right and the violence and gore are executed well.
It (2017)
An adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name, It is set during the late ’80s, and follows a group of misfit kids in a small Maine town who are being terrorized by an evil being named Pennywise. While the TV miniseries from the ’90s is beloved by many who watched it when it was released, this remake is certainly more stylish and frightening. Some may rightfully criticize some of the CGI, but the performances from the kids are great, Bill Skarsgård is delightfully unhinged in the title role, and the depiction of being a social outcast feels accurate. It’s not only a rewatchable remake, it set box office records—for an R-rated horror remake, that’s still impressive.
Suspiria (2018)
Tackling a classic like 1977’s Suspiria is a bold choice, but it paid off for those who dig this remake. Luca Guadagnino’s version is still set in the ’70s and follows Susie (played here by Dakota Johnson) who moves from Ohio to Germany to attend a mysterious dance academy. The visuals throughout the film are so striking without copying the unique set pieces of the original film—in fact, there are a lot of creative liberties taken with this remake. Guadagnino’s film is incredibly heavy as far as social commentary goes: the themes of agency are noticeable, but the remake also digs into trauma regarding the Holocaust, queerness, and owning your identity, as well as power dynamics among women. It’s not a happy film for nearly any of the characters, and that’s part of the point. Instead of being mostly about colors, visuals, and a slow reveal like the original, the remake digs into the meat of hard topics.
Slumber Party Massacre (2021)
Having girls be fully capable of handling themselves against a misogynistic killer is a lot of fun to watch. 2021’s Slumber Party Massacre—a remake of the more exploitative 1982 teen-movie slasher—follows a group of girls who go on a trip to a cabin where they’re stalked by a serial killer. The Driller Killer is one aspect that’s taken from the original cult classic, however the remake deviates in a number of ways from its predecessor. While the original film is a deliberate parody, this reimagining flips the narrative on its head and makes the messaging even more feminist. The gore is great, the cast is diverse, and for a film that was released on the Syfy Channel, it feels like it could’ve had a theatrical run. At the end of the day, this is just as good as any other remake of a ’80s horror film.
