16 Movie & TV Remakes That Made Major Changes to the Lead Roles, Successfully Increasing Diversity in the Industry
These reboots and remakes are gender-flipping lead roles that surprised many when they were announced.
Movie and TV remakes always spark debate, especially when the lead roles change in a big way. Some viewers see it as a fresh take, while others immediately compare every detail to the original.
These 16 remakes and reboots made notable shifts in their lead characters, from gender swaps to new stars stepping into familiar stories. That mix of nostalgia and reinvention is exactly what keeps these projects in the conversation.
Here are the remakes that took the biggest swings, and got people talking.
1. Doogie Howser, M.D.
Doogie Howser, M.D. originally starred a young Neil Patrick Harris, but in the reboot, they have completely switched the script. The reboot series will be titled Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. and will star Peyton Elizabeth Lee as a 16-year-old in the series.
2. Ghostbusters
This reboot received a lot of opinions. The original Ghostbusters featured male leads, but in the remake, the leading roles were switched to female characters.
The reboot of Ghostbusters stars Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon.
Columbia Pictures3. He's All That
The original He's All That starred Rachael Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze Jr. and was released in 1999. The reboot now features TikTok star Addison Rae and Tanner Buchanan from Cobra Kai.
That swap definitely got people talking.
4. LA's Finest
LA's Finest is a television show starring Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union. Although this isn't a direct reboot, this series was inspired by the Bad Boys movies featuring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
gabunion/Instagram5. How I Met Your Father
How I Met Your Mother was an extremely popular TV show, so naturally, a reboot is on its way. How I Met Your Father, the reboot, will star Hilary Duff as the narrator and will be available to watch on Hulu.
6. Ocean's 8
Ocean's 8, which starred Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, Sandra Bullock, and Cate Blanchett, is a remake and spinoff of the original Ocean's series, which starred Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Matt Damon.
Barry Wetcher/Warner Bros. Entertainment
7. Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde
In 1995, this gender-flipping movie was released, starring Sean Young and Tim Daly.
8. What Men Want
Taraji P. Henson starred in What Men Want in 2019, which was essentially a reboot and a play off of What Women Want, starring Mel Gibson.
Some of these remakes leaned hard into the concept.
Also, Kaley Cuoco’s tense Charmed moment with the A-list actress who overlooked her.
9. American Pie: Girls' Rules
American Pie is a classic in American culture, so making a reboot seemed perfect. American Pie: Girls' Rules was released in 2020.
10. Elementary
Elementary, starring Lucy Liu, was a twist on Sherlock Holmes, with Lucy playing the character of Holmes' sidekick.
11. The Next Karate Kid
The Next Karate Kid reboot, starring Hilary Swank and Pat Morita, wasn't as well-received by fans as we had hoped.
Amazon
12. Doctor Who
Doctor Who is yet another classic, and the reboot featured a strong female role played by Jodie Whittaker.
13. The Equalizer
The original The Equalizer starred Denzel Washington, so we couldn't think of a better actress to lead the reboot than Queen Latifah.
That change brought a lot of attention to the reboot.
14. The Hustle
The Hustle, starring Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway, is a low-key reboot of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
15. The Tempest
This 2010 film, The Tempest, starred Helen Mirren.
16. Herbie: Fully Loaded
Herbie: Fully Loaded, starring Lindsay Lohan, should have been a great reboot, but fans just weren't feeling it.
Some of these reboots worked, and some missed the mark.
What are some of your favorite reboots that have surfaced? Do you think they lived up to the hype?
Reboots always come with a little risk.
For more “outrageous and funny” chaos, see fans debating Scary Movie 6’s provocative trailer.
