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.
When we talk about reboots of television shows and movies, people are either fans of them or they aren't. Much of the debate arises when individuals attempt to heavily compare the reboot to the original or hold the opinion that nothing will ever be better than the original.
We will discuss some of the reboots that made significant changes to the lead roles, which undoubtedly stirred the pot regarding opinions on the reboot. Some fans loved the changes made in the new version, while others claim that nothing can surpass the original and that too much change is detrimental.
Regardless of anyone's personal opinions, we still wanted to share these reboots that made substantial changes. Some of them have already aired for a while, while others have yet to be released, giving us a sneak peek of what is to come.
We will explore top-viewed television shows and movies, such as How I Met Your Mother and Ghostbusters. Examining some of the most popular movies and shows from the past to the present represents a significant change, but it's not always a negative thing.
Let's dive deeper and check out these reboots that made major changes.
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.
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.
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.
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 were successful, while others really didn't live up to the original. Either way, we appreciate seeing some of these reboots make significant changes.
What are some of your favorite reboots that have surfaced? Do you think they lived up to the hype?
