Lionsgate

There's a certain magical quality to modern day drugs. The tiniest prescribed pill can cure a multitude of medical problems, whilst the tiniest illegally-purchased pill can create the illusion you have cured a multitude of non-medical problems. So it's no wonder Hollywood loves injecting cool ideas about what sorts of human ailments — both physical and spiritual — fictional drugs might be able to treat.

In "Dredd 3D," the latest redux of comic book hero and one-man-justice-system, Judge Dredd, a narcotic named Slo-Mo has hit the streets, allowing its users to experience reality in slow motion (in the future, drug names are very literal). And this got us jonesing for a list of our favorite movie pharmaceuticals we dare you to "just say no" to.

NZT-48 in 'Limitless' (2011)

Relativity

This pricey and rare drug for the one-percenters allows the imbiber to utilize 100 percent of their brain power — in other words, it's akin to drinking three Red Bulls. With the full potential of your brain unlocked, you'll have the IQ to accurately predict stock market futures, write brilliant novels and seduce random woman on the street. But be warned: it has the unfortunate side-effect of people trying to murder you for your stash.
Getting High: You can now solve all the world's problems.
Coming Down:You'll spend 10 minutes trying to remember where you left the TV remote.

Melange Spice in 'Dune' (1984)

In the distant, dark future of the "Dune," universe, Melange is the most precious substance in the galaxy. When consumed, it can lengthen your life, heighten your senses and allow you to safely navigate a starship through space-time with your mind. Finally, a drug that actually improves transportation safety.
Getting High: You can lengthen your lifespan by hundreds of years.
Coming Down: You spend that lengthened lifespan as a mutated, obese slug, floating in a glass tank, spouting out galactic GPS directions.

The Red Pill in 'The Matrix' (1999)

Warner Bros.

In this sci-fi classic about the perception of reality and the coolness of trench coats, Keanu Reeves uses his innate ability to appear completely bewildered to great effect after ingesting the red pill of truth. It rouses him from the the virtual reality slavery he shares with all humanity (no, it's not Facebook). Now, fully "awakened", he's able to reenter the fake world and be unaffected by pesky bullets and flying fists of fury.
Getting High: You now know Kung Fu.
Coming Down:You realize that you've been a battery your whole life... Bummer.

Bug Powder from 'Naked Lunch' (1991)

Based on the Burroughs novel of the same name, "Naked Lunch" tells the funny — but not at all "ha ha" funny — story of a bug exterminator who, along with his wife, partakes of the poison he sprays on the roaches. If that sounds like a bad life choice to you, you're on the right track. Let's just say that, after receiving less than savory instructions from his talking typewriter (who speaks out of its anthropomorphic backside) things get weird for the couple. Who knew there was a downside to drug abuse?
Getting High: You and your typewriter share an intimate sexual experience.
Coming Down: Sharing a sexual experience with your typewriter was the least creepy thing you did.

The Super-Soldier Serum in 'Captain America' (2011)

Paramount

On the off chance the whole atom bomb idea didn't pan out, America's military brass had a plan B for winning WWII: inject nerds with a serum that would instantly turn them into super studs. Then arm them with metal Frisbees. It was a silly plan. Fortunately for personal trainers everywhere, the serum was destroyed by the Nazis before gym membership enrollments saw any noticeable declines.
Getting High: Go from wimp to hunk without the chalky aftertaste of protein shakes.
Coming Down:Now dress up like a red, white and blue target with legs and run into Nazi Germany.

GLeeMonex in 'Brain Candy' (1996)

Marketed as an antidepressant, GLeeMonex cures your blues by letting you relive the happiest moment of your life. The regrettable downside to this miracle drug (there's always some silly side effect) is that some people get stuck in the memory for good and live out their days as nostalgically comatose vegetables. FDA approval is still pending.
Getting High: You can relive the greatest moment of your life.
Coming Down: You're in a coma and you realize the moment wasn't that great.

Felix Felicis in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' (2009)

Warner Bros.

Also known as "Liquid Luck" by streetwise apothecaries, this "potion" (that's lingo for hard drugs in the wizard world) would be a big hit in Vegas. After downing a vile, you'll be fortunate in every endeavor for a short spell. But use it with care. Side effects include recklessness and overconfidence once the elixir's effects have worn off. And you don't want to "come down" while cockily attempting your first tight-rope walk.
Getting High: It's all lucky 7's, found pennies and four-leaf clovers.
Coming Down:It's all 13's, black cats and another jury duty summons.

Whatever the Beatles Were Taking in "Yellow Submarine" (1968)

While it's never spelled out that the Beatles are on any specific drugs in this groovy musical cartoon (the entirety of which resembling the acid-fueled nightmares of a Looney Tunes animator) I've been to England, sober, and can report to you faithfully that music, love and the four known dimensions don't actually merge together in a surreal blending of visual and auditory harmony. But people do drive on the wrong side of the road.
Getting High: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
Coming Down: Helter Skelter.

The Reefer in 'Reefer Madness' (1936)

Walking Shadows

Nothing wins over teenagers like a condescending propaganda film. And this cult classic paved the way for dozens of lame infotainment movies to come, with its unintentionally funny script and laughably false claims about the effects of sweet Tai sticks. Back then, one puff of a marijuana cigarette would turn an otherwise upstanding young citizen into an oversexed, brawling deviant, slowly descending into madness. And it cures cataracts. Guess they don't grow it like they used to.
Getting High: Experience the psychedelic '60s 30 years early.
Coming Down: At the end of every trip, you're still stuck in the Great Depression.

Vestron Pictures

Whenever a movie studio announces plans for another remake, the reaction among fans and pundits is always the same: Hollywood doesn't have any new ideas.

But we like to look on the bright side of things, which is why we're so happy when we hear of a cool remake or reboot. Hey, who needs new ideas when there are already so many great old ideas waiting to be rediscovered?

With that in mind, we've compiled a list of 50 — that's right, 50! — upcoming Hollywood remakes that tickle our fancy. Because if these films were good the first time, you never know, you might just enjoy them even more the second time around.

Everett Collection

'Dredd'

Attached: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby
Status: The good news for director Pete Travis ("Vantage Point") and star Urban ("Star Trek," "The Lord of the Rings") is that they won't have to do much to meet fan expectations; Sylvester Stallone's 1995 version of "Judge Dredd" is widely considered the low point of his career and led to a decade of flops and cameos. Better news for fans: "28 Days Later" scribe Alex Garland, who is handling the screenplay, has vowed to return to the character's original, gritty comic book roots. Karl Urban ("The Lord of the Rings," "Star Trek") takes over the lead and based on early trailers, it looks like the real Dredd is indeed back.
Release Date/Year: September 21, 2012

'Red Dawn'

Attached: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Status: Hemsworth ("Thor") headlines this updating of the 1984 Cold War classic, which this time around features an invasion from China rather than the Soviet Union. First-time director and former stuntman Dan Bradley has kept the rest of the premise intact, so expect to see plenty of heroics from America's youth as they lead a Midwestern resistance against our commie foes. This film was completed in 2009 and has been delayed several times by its struggling distributor, MGM; with Hemsworth becoming a star, though, it may finally see the light of dawn, so to speak.
Release Date/Year: November 21, 2012

'Carrie'

Attached: Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore
Status: Back in 1976, audiences shivered at the sight of Sissy Spacek being doused with pig's blood by a-hole high school students and then taking her revenge through the therapeutic application of telekinesis. Considering how iconic that film has become in the annals of horror movies, remaking it will be a tall task, but MGM has taken a big step in the right direction by signing on "Kick-Ass" star Chloe Grace Moretz to play the lead. And the director is someone who knows a thing or two about the difficulties that face girls growing up these days; Kimberly Peirce, who directed "Boys Don't Cry," is helming the remake.
Release Date/Year: March 15, 2013

'Evil Dead'

Attached: Jane Levy
Status: Move over, Ash, because there's a new version of "The Evil Dead" on its way to theaters — and in this one, it's a femme fatale doing the demon-slaying. Yep: 30-plus years after Sam Raimi's original "Evil Dead" introduced the world to Bruce Campbell, director Fede Alvaraz has decided to sidestep comparisons by rejiggering the story to focus on one of the ladies present at the haunted cabin in the woods. "Mirror Mirror's" Lily Collins was set to play the new lead character — described as a woman named Mia struggling with addiction — but she's been replaced with relative unknown Jane Levy. Here's a word of advice, Jane: Speak softly and carry a big boomstick.
Release Date/Year:April 12, 2013

MGM

'Robocop'

Attached: Joel Kinnaman, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman
Status: Things are moving along rapidly on this remake of the classic 1987 sci-fi satire, with director Jose Padilha lining up a slew of superstars for the production, including Samuel L. Jackson and Gary Oldman. It's "The Killing"'s Joel Kinnaman, however, donning the iconic cyborg armor this time around when filming begins in September. We'd buy that for a dollar!
Release Date/Year: August 9, 2013

'All Quiet on the Western Front'

Attached: Daniel Radcliffe (rumored)
Status: Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director, the 1930 version of "All Quiet on the Western Front" was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation on its Film Registry. Cool as it is, though, that adaptation of Erich Remarque's classic novel about the horrors of trench warfare during World War I didn't feature Harry Potter. This one may not, either: Daniel Radcliffe had been attached, but now has apparently moved on, while the film has signed on director Mimi Leder ("Pay It Forward"), who is looking at a late 2012 shooting date. Whether she can talk Radcliffe into coming back remains to be seen.
Release Date: 2013

Columbia Pictures

'Annie'

Attached: Willow Smith
Status: Willow Smith is set to take on the role of a precocious girl with a knack for singing and a multi-millionaire daddy. Hmm. But Smith isn't the only big name attached to the remake of the 1982 hit (which was based on a musical, which was based on a comic strip, which was based on ur mom); not only is her father, Will Smith, co-producing alongside Jay-Z, but Emma Thompson is also on board as the original screenwriter, though rewrites have since been ordered. Sounds like a winner.
Release Date/Year: 2013

'A Star Is Born'

Attached: Beyoncé, Tom Cruise (rumored)
Status: This high-profile remake of the 1954 classic "A Star Is Born," which tells the very Hollywood story of the revenge, madness and cutthroat backstage politics faced by big-time movie stars, was supposed to already be in production. Then star Beyoncé went and got all preggers and the film, which is being directed by Clint Eastwood, had to be postponed. Still, now that her baby bump is an actual baby, things should take off again, maybe even in time for a 2013 release; filming could begin as early as the end of the summer.
Release Date/Year: 2013

'Mad Max: Fury Road'

Attached: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz
Status: Hardy follows up "Inception" and "The Dark Knight Rises" with an even more action-packed role; this new take on Mel Gibson's classic "Mad Max" reportedly features over 300 different stunts. Gibson isn't expected to appear in the film, which may be a good thing considering his current status as Hollywood pariah. Filming is currently underway.
Release Date/Year: 2013

'Oldboy'

Attached: Elizabeth Olsen (rumored), Josh Brolin, Sharlto Copley
Status: Spike Lee might not be the first name that pops into your head when you think of Korean thrillers, but that's about to change, as Brooklyn's most famous rabble-rousing cinematic auteur is set to remake the 2003 cult classic "Oldboy." Casting is currently underway — Sharlto Copley is the latest to sign on — so it looks like the world will soon get to see what Lee can do with this creepy story about a father and a daughter and some really bad shiznit that goes down between them and a mystery villain. One of the most intriguing and unlikely remakes in recent memory.
Release Date/Year: 2013

'Pet Sematary'

Attached: N/A
Status: Stephen King's classic horror novel "Pet Sematary" is about to get its second adaptation courtesy of "Transformers" producer Lorenzo di Bonaventuara, who has already brought "1408" scribe Matt Greenberg and "Invasion" writer David Kajhanich on board to pen an R-rated version. Alexandre Aja ("Piranha") is among the directors currently being courted to helm this one, so take that for what it's worth.
Release Date/Year: 2013

'Point Break'

Attached: N/A
Status: The original "Point Break," which starred Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves as surfers who moonlight as thieves who moonlight as FBI agents, was directed by Kathryn Bigelow, who since has gone on to win an Oscar. Who will direct and star in the remake is yet to be determined, but we'll know soon enough. Alcon Entertainment has put the movie on their fast track, and they hope to land a director as soon as possible to rush the film into production for a 2013 release.
Release Date/Year: 2013

Everett Collection

'The Crow'

Attached: N/A
Status: Despite the fact that no lead has been selected, this update of the 1994 goth comic-book adventure is still on track for a 2013 or 2014 release. Director Javier Gutierrez and writer Jesse Witugow are hard at work crafting a 21st century take on this cult classic. Don't worry, "Crow" fans; undead goth makeup never goes out of style, so don't give up hope.
Release Date/Year: 2013

'The Orphanage'

Attached: Kaley Cuoco (maybe)
Status: "The Big Bang Theory" star Kaley Cuoco is (tentatively) slated to star in this English-language version of the acclaimed Guillermo del Toro-produced 2007 horror film "El Orfanato." Of course, she was cast more than 18 months ago, so it's possible she may have moved on to other things by now. Little-known director Mark Pellington takes over as director, but don't worry; del Toro is producing again from a script he co-wrote.
Release Date/Year:2013

'An American Werewolf in London'

Attached: N/A
Status: Producer Sean Furst knows a thing or two about horror remakes, having helped bring "Let Me In" and "The Crazies" updates to the screen. He and his brother, co-producer Bryan Furst, have optioned "An American Werewolf in London" and have hired "The Number 23" writer Fernley Phillips to pen the screenplay. Decisions about cast and crew are awaiting the script's completion.
Release Date/Year: 2014

Paramount

'Barbarella'

Attached: Director Nicolas Winding Refn
Status: Legendary producer Dino De Laurentis is back with another version of "Barbarella," the sci-fi sex comedy that he put together for Jane Fonda back in 1969. This time around, Rose McGowan was originally rumored to be taking on the lead role, but appears to have moved on; meanwhile, screenwriter Joe Gazzam is hard at work on a script. Best of all, Nicolas Winding Refn, the mastermind behind the cult hit "Drive," has come on board as the director, so "Barbarella" is likely going to get the fast track from here on out.
Release Date/Year: 2014

'Child's Play'

Attached: Brad Dourif
Status: Universal is keeping the details of their latest deadly doll adventure under close wraps, but we do know that original writer Don Mancini is back on board — and this time around he'll be directing as well. Also back for another go-round is Brad Dourif, who will once again provide the voice of Chucky. This film was originally slated to be made in 2011, but despite having a completed script, Universal is hedging on whether the film will be made at all, which is why the expected release date is now 2014.
Release Date/Year: 2014

'Death Note'

Attached: N/A
Status: The good news for Warner Bros. regarding its remake of this 2006 Japanese horror hit is that the studio already has a script in hand, from the brother team of Vlas and Charley Parlapanides ("Immortals"). Plus, the original story, about a guy who finds an evil notebook that kills anyone whose name is written inside it, has proven to be popular in everything from manga to anime to live action. And with "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "Iron Man 3" director Shane Black recently tapped to direct, this one looks like it's about as sure a bet as these things get in Hollywood.
Release Date/Year: 2014

'Dirty Dancing'

Attached: N/A
Status: The idea of remaking the beloved 1987 hit "Dirty Dancing" may seem kind of crazy — just who are they going to find to fill Patrick Swayze's shoes, anyway? — but then again, remaking "Footloose" seemed like a bad idea, and that turned out just fine. Plus, "Dirty Dancing" does have "High School Musical" mastermind Kenny Ortega (who also happened to be a choreographer on the original) on board to direct. Still, no stars are attached and the script is currently being rewritten, which explains why they had to push the release date back from next summer to sometime in 2014.
Release Date/Year: 2014

'Drop Dead Fred'

Attached: Russell Brand
Status: When "Drop Dead Fred" hit theaters back in 1991, its blackly funny look at a girl whose life is turned upside down by the return of her now-adult imaginary friend didn't exactly set the box office on fire. But Universal thinks it can top the original's $13 million take thanks to the presence of Russell Brand, who is set to play the title character in a new version penned by former "Saturday Night Live" head writer Dennis McNicholas.
Release Date/Year: 2014

'Fletch Won'

Attached: Everyone and/or No One
Status: Everyone from John Cusack to Zach Braff to Chevy Chase himself has been rumored to star in this reboot, which has languished in development hell for well over a decade now. In a sign that hell has frozen over, though, producer Steve Golin ("Babel") and screenwriter David Mandel have been given the keys to the "Fletch" kingdom by Warner Bros., who apparently are actually going to make this movie. Assuming the Mayans don't blow up the Earth first.
Release Date/Year: 2014 (?!)

'Starship Troopers'

Attached: N/A
Status: "Starship Troopers" is an interesting choice to remake considering the original franchise never actually went away. In fact, a fourth installment in the series about soldiers fighting space bugs in a future created by sci-fi author Robert Heinlein is due to arrive on Blu-ray this month. Still, since only hardcore fans have hung around for every direct-to-DVD travesty since the original came out in 1997, maybe the idea of a remake from "X-Men: First Class" and "Thor" writers Edward Miller and Zack Stentz makes sense; after all, it's obvious the series has long-term potential. Unless you're a space bug.
Release Date/Year: 2014

Warner Bros. / Everett

'The NeverEnding Story'

Attached: N/A
Status: Frank Marshall may seem like an unlikely choice to reinvent the 1984 fantasy about a kid who travels to an alternate universe and rides and befriends a giant luckdragon; after all, he's best known for producing adult fare like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and the "Bourne" series. Still, he has the experience to help untangle the complex legal issues regarding the film rights, and with Leonardo DiCaprio also on board as an executive producer, "The NeverEnding Story" may finally be close to having a beginning.
Release Date/Year: 2014

'The Seven Samurai'

Attached: N/A
Status: Akira Kurosawa's 1954 classic "Seven Samurai," about a group of warriors hired to defend a small town against bandits, has already been remade multiple times in different genres, from the Western version in "Magnificent Seven" to the animated insect version of "A Bug's Life." This time, newbie director Scott Mann is straight up redoing the samurai version on behalf of the Weinsteins, meaning this might be the first time copying the original can be considered a fresh take. Note: Tom Cruise recently signed on to headline a remake of "The Magnificent Seven," so it's possible the remake of the remake may come out before the remake of the original. Our head hurts.
Release Date/Year: 2014

'WarGames'

Attached:
Status: Coming off of "Horrible Bosses," director Seth Gordon had a lot of options. The one he decided to go with? Remaking the 1983 techno-thriller "WarGames," which starred Matthew Broderick as possibly the world's first ever hacker -- and certainly the first to accidentally cause thermonuclear global warfare. This might be the remake that makes the most sense ever, as today's technology has finally caught up with the concept. They're still working on a script, but you know what they say: Give an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of iPads ...
Release Date/Year: 2014

'Time Bandits'

Attached: N/A
Status: Handmade Films is once again trying to put together a remake of the beloved (and totally weird) 1981 cult hit "Time Bandits," which featured director Terry Gilliam's signature style in a typically crazy tale about a kid who falls in with a troupe of time traveling dwarves. The studio has been trying to get this thing going since 2006, but this time they totally plan to get a new version made, swearsies. Hey, if they can time travel, this shouldn't be an issue, right?
Release Date/Year: 2015

'Akira'

Attached: Garrett Hedlund and Ken Watanbe were attached, but...
Status: Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 masterpiece "Akira" is considered one of the seminal films in the history of anime, and animation in general. The cartoon, though, only covered a small portion of the original comic book series, something Warner Bros. is looking to capitalize on with a series of films that presents the entire story — in live action. "Iron Man" scribes Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby have written a script that was set to be filmed by director Jaume Collet-Serra ("Orphan") beginning this past March, but disputes over the budget ended up scuttling it. Just when Akira and company will finally spring to life (or live action, anyway) is now up in the air once again.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

TriStar

'About Last Night'

Attached: Kevin Hart (rumored)
Status: Rob Lowe and Demi Moore starred in the original 1986 version of "About Last Night," which was based on a play by David Mamet about a guy and a lady who try to have an affair even though their friends disapprove. Now the remake is being headed by "Friends With Benefits" writer-director Will Gluck. That seems like a reasonable choice, but nothing else has yet been nailed down about this remake, which is still in the early stages. Kevin Hart is supposedly attached, though, so that gives a hint about the new direction being taken.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'American Psycho'

Attached: N/A
Status: It's barely been a decade since the original "American Psycho" shocked audiences with Christian Bale's iconic performance as Bret Easton Ellis' titular murderous nutjob, but Lionsgate figures the time is right for a new take on the story, set in post-9/11 New York instead of the yuppie excesses of the '80s. Noble Lincoln Jones is set to make his directorial debut in this ultra low-budget remake. Sounds a little ... psycho... to us, but maybe Jones and company are just crazy like a fox.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'The Birds'

Attached: Naomi Watts
Status: Everything is in place for this big-budget remake of Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1963 horror film "The Birds": the movie has a director (Dennis Iliadis), a bankable star (Naomi Watts) and a completed screenplay (writers too numerous to mention). What it doesn't have yet is a greenlight from Universal, which explains why the original 2011 release date has been pushed into the indefinite future. The main sticking point: Trying to come up with scary ways for birds to kill people is apparently beyond the studio's current imagination. Oh, well. For a film that's been in development for nearly six years now, what's a couple more between friends?
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Commando'

Attached: Writer-director David Ayer
Scoop: "Training Day" writer David Ayer has written a revamped, modernized take on the 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger "classic" about a killer mercenary who mows down dozens of a-holes to rescue his kidnapped daughter. He's also eager to direct it. For now, though, 20th Century Fox is still trying to find an actor who can fill The Governator's shoes. It could be a long wait.
Release Date: Unknown

'Creature From the Black Lagoon'

Attached: Channing Tatum (rumored)
Status: "Creature From the Black Lagoon" has been going through a bit of a creative carousel, as first time director Carl Rinsch was supposed to have the job after "Sahara" director Breck Eisner passed. "Hunger Games" helmer Gary Ross penned the updated script and is the son of original "Creature From the Black Lagoon" writer Arthur Ross — so there's every chance he may end up stepping in to help this passion project himself. When he'll have the time is an issue, though, so there's not even a tentative release date on this one yet.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Death Wish'

Attached: Robert Downey Jr.
Status: Ever since Charles Bronson's original "Death Wish" hit theaters in 1974, its tale of a man seeking revenge for the death of his family has become the basic template for an entire genre, rendering a remake almost inevitable. Sly Stallone had been attached as director and star, but that's been put on hold for the time being. "Death Wish" isn't DOA, though, as "The A-Team's" Joe Carnahan has come aboard to write and direct. He's even talking about having Robert Downey Jr. star in it, which would be... pretty interesting, actually. Count us among the cautiously optimistic.
Release Date/Year:Unknown

AVCO Embassy

'Escape From New York'

Attached: Timothy Olyphant or Bradley Cooper
Status: Fresh from his success reworking the cult horror film "The Crazies," director Breck Eisner has turned his attention to John Carpenter's sci-fi nightmare "Escape From New York," which imagines a future where the Big Apple is a giant prison. Olyphant and Cooper are currently under consideration to take over Kurt Russell's role as one-eyed badass Snake Plissken, but no deal has yet been signed with either. Plus, New Line dropped out, leaving Breck with everything except a studio where he can make the movie. Which is a problem.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Heavy Metal'

Attached: Jack Black
Status: David Fincher leads a legion of high-profile directors trying to pull together this anthology remake of the 1981 sci-fi film based on the comic-book magazine of the same name. James Cameron, Zack Snyder, Gore Verbinski and Kevin Eastman are just some of the other directors in the mix to film short segments; Jack Black has also been confirmed, though in what role it's hard to guess. The project does currently lack two essentials: a distributor and financier. But considering Fincher is planning on working with the animator who created the mind-blowing title sequence for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," don't count this one out just yet.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Highlander'

Attached: Ryan Reynolds (rumored)
Status: There can be only one. Unless, of course, you're talking about sequels, remakes and spinoffs, in which case there can be just about as many version of "Highlander" as you can imagine. Luckily for fans of immortality, "28 Weeks Later" director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has just such an imagination, which is why he's teaming up with "Iron Man" screenwriter Matt Holloway for a remake of this 1986 cult hit. They may want to work on a new tag line, though.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'House Party'

Attached: N/A
Status: Way back in 1990, rappers Kid 'n Play kicked off a surprise franchise with "House Party," their feel-good ode to getting down and having gigantic hair. The film ended up spawning a number of sequels before finally dying out, but there's one man who just won't let the good times end: Brett Ratner, who ironically may be the last person on Earth anybody would want to invite to an actual house party. He's producing the remake, but so far little progress has been made, so there's no telling when this will finally hit theaters.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Lethal Weapon'

Attached: N/A
Status: Joel Silver, who produced the original "Lethal Weapon" franchise, is back on board for the Warner Bros. remake. Will Beall, who cut his teeth writing for the hit TV series "Castle," is also signed up as writer. Who will star — or when it will be made, or who will direct, or pretty much everything else — is still unknown pending the script being completed.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Little Shop of Horrors'

Attached: Not Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Status: "Glee" producer and writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is hard at work updating the popular musical by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. That's the good news. The bad news is that Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who was widely reported to be attached to the film, is not actually involved at all. Which is too bad.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

Warner Bros.

'My Fair Lady'

Attached: Carey Mulligan, Colin Firth (rumored)
Status: Carey Mulligan has a closet full of shoes to fill as Eliza, the working-class girl who is turned into a paragon of the upper crust as part of a social experiment. Not only is she stepping into a role that Audrey Hepburn made famous, she's also replacing Keira Knightley, who dropped out of the production along with director John Madden. They may be gone, but Oscar winner Colin Firth has been chatting up the possibility of playing male lead Henry Higgins, and we all know how well Firth does when speech therapy is part of the script.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Overboard'

Attached: Jennifer Lopez, Julian Scott Urena
Status: J.Lo was set to take time out from her "American Idol" judging gig to star in the remake of the 1989 romantic comedy that originally paired real-life couple Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn as a mismatched pair that meets cute (sorta) after she tumbles off a ship. Now that she has all the time in the world, though, it's possible this long-delayed remake may finally happening, especially since Will Smith is producing.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Porky's'

Attached: Howard Stern! Sort of.
Status: Howard Stern has been ramrodding this remake of the raunchy 1981 teenage sex comedy through the system, with little success to show for it. In 2010 a script was completed, but before production could be started, a bunch of legal wrangling got the project stuck in limbo again. If Stern gets his way, things will kick off shortly; if not, he'll have to wait until 2014 for a chance to get the rights again. We're keeping our eye to the legal peephole and will report on progress as soon as it happens, but it's possible that Stern's starring gig on "America's Got Talent" may delay things even more.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

Everett Collection

'Romancing the Stone'

Attached: Katherine Heigl (rumored), Gerard Butler (rumored)
Status: 20th Century Fox is still in the early stages of this remake of the 1984 adventure movie that starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner as an unlikely couple who spars over a giant gemstone. "Killers" director Robert Luketic was rumored to be eying the film as a possible vehicle for Katherine Heigl — possibly opposite Heigl's "The Ugly Truth' costar Gerard Butler — but Luketic has reportedly moved on, leaving "Eagle Eye" writer Dan McDermott's "Romancing the Stone" screenplay up in the air for now.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Scarface'

Attached: N/A
Status: Screenwriter David Ayer ("Training Day") has a big task ahead of him in his effort to craft a modern remake of "Scarface." But before you start whipping out your "little friend" jokes, consider this: Al Pacino's 1983 version of "Scarface" was itself a remake of a 1932 gangster film. So this isn't exactly blasphemy, it's more like inevitability. Ayer just began work a few months ago, so this one is still a long way off. Now, go ahead and start quoting.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Short Circuit'

Attached: N/A
Status: "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" director Steve Carr was developing this remake of the 1986 fan favorite about a sentient robot named Johnny Five who goes on the lam. He has since dropped out, but don't worry, because "Hop" director Tim Hill has stepped in instead. We'll leave it to you to decide if "Hop" is an upgrade from "Paul Blart" or not. On the plus side, "Robot Chicken" and "Greg the Bunny" scribe Dan Milano has been tapped to write the screenplay, which is being produced by "Collateral Damage's" David Foster for Dimension Films.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'The Bodyguard'

Attached: N/A
Status: Dan Lin may not be a household name outside of, you know, his own house, but as the producer of the "Sherlock Holmes" series, he has some industry clout. And he's using it to spearhead this revival of the 1992 hit that starred Kevin Costner and the late, great Whitney Houston. He's got a couple of relative unknowns working on the script (Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer), but otherwise, this one is still too early to call. Finding someone who can belt out Houston's anthem "I Will Always Love You" is going to be tricky enough; deciding whether or not a "Bodyguard" remake should even be made following Houston's untimely death is even trickier.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'The Phantom Tollbooth'

Attached: N/A
Status: "Seabiscuit" writer-director-producer Gary Ross had been developing this reimagination of the 1970 Chuck Jones animated feature, which itself is an adaptation of the beloved children's fantasy book by Norton Juster. Then something called "The Hunger Games" diverted his attention. Wonder why? Like the Jones version, this new edition will feature a mix of live action and animation to tell the story of a boy who travels to a magical world. Alex Tse ("Watchmen") has been given the task of adapting the book for the big screen, so that should be interesting.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

Everett Collection

'The Warriors'

Attached: Brenna Roth
Status: Director Tony Scott is no stranger to remakes, having helmed "Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" and produced "The A-Team." His latest effort takes on the seminal 1979 gang flick "The Warriors;" this time around, the action has been moved from New York to Los Angeles for the story of a group of gang members who have to make their way through enemy territory to escape a bogus murder rap. A script has been completed, but with Scott literally working on dozens of properties simultaneously, there's no telling which will get the fast track first.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'The Wild Bunch'

Attached: N/A
Status: Despite the total lack of success of last year's "Straw Dogs," Warner Bros. is still pushing forward with its remake of another Sam Peckinpah film, the truly classic "The Wild Bunch." Considering many people view "The Wild Bunch" as one of the seminal films of the 20th century — and considering everyone up to and including Quentin Tarantino has borrowed heavily from it in the years since — making a truly fresh version could be a major challenge. Regardless, Tony Scott has optioned the film and is working on figuring out how to make it. Good luck, sir.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Westworld'

Attached: Russell Crowe
Status: Crowe is rumored to be attached to this updating of Michael Crichton's 1973 sci-fi cautionary adventure, which tells the story of two people who, after becoming trapped in a futuristic theme park, are hunted by the park's animatronic cast members. As you might guess, this isn't a Disney film; Warner Bros. is currently working with "The Karate Kid" producer Jerry Weintraub to get it ready for production, with "The Hunger Games" scribe Billy Ray doing the writing chores.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

Originally published Oct. 6, 2010.

Disney

This week: Disney's big-budget Martian adventure "John Carter" works better at home, where repeated viewings help one keep all the alien characters and their alliances straight.

Also new this week is the action blockbuster "Safe House" with Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington, the family adventure "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," and the Blu-ray debut of the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine."

'John Carter'

Buena Vista

Box Office: $73 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 52% Rotten
Storyline: In this PG-13 Disney movie based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Barsoom" novels, Taylor Kitsch plays a Civil War Confederate Army captain who discovers a medallion that transports him to Mars. There John Carter discovers that the lower gravity on the Red Planet enables him to jump great distances -- a talent that comes in handy when he is caught in the middle of a tribal war.
Extras! The short "100 Years in the Making" featurette on the DVD and Blu-ray looks at the life and career of Burroughs as well as the many attempts at adapting the first book into a film.
We Say: Though the movie is available on Blu-ray 3-D, the extra dimension is a bit of a distraction for this convoluted adventure that immediately throws you -- along with our shirt-challenged hero -- right in the middle of an otherworldly war with little explanation or backstory. The expensive CGI effects had Disney heads seeing red, but you can afford to drink them in repeatedly at home, because "John Carter" requires several viewings before the story connects.

'Safe House'

Universal

Box Office: $126 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 54% Rotten
Storyline: Ryan Reynolds plays the "housekeeper" of a CIA safe house in Cape Town, South Africa, where international criminal Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) is being held. When security is breached, Reynolds's low-level agent must keep the prisoner out of harm's way.
Extras! The Blu-ray exclusive "Safe Harbor: Cape Town" discusses the multicultural qualities of the South African city and why it was chosen as the primary filming location.
We Say: Action fans and fans of the two leads will enjoy the cat-and-mouse antics as Reynolds and Washington dart to and fro while dodging an endless hailstorm of bullets, but there isn't anything novel that makes "Safe House" stand apart from any other rat-a-tat cinematic attack.

'Journey 2: The Mysterious Island'

Turner Home Entertainment

Box Office: $103 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 42% Rotten
Storyline: Original "Journey to the Center of the Earth" star Josh Hutcherson returns in this sequel as Sean Anderson, a teen obsessed with finding his missing grandfather (Michael Caine) on an island that doesn't appear on any conventional map. Sean convinces his stepdad (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson") to fly them both to Palau, where they chart a helicopter and are sucked into a Jules Verne-inspired world of mysterious creatures and a quest to find Captain Nemo's tomb.
Extras! The Blu-ray exclusive "Are You Strong Enough to Survive Mysterious Island?" is an interactive map that allows you to explore the island further by watching videos and interviews.
We Say: This enjoyable, if unremarkable, PG-rated family adventure works best on Blu-ray 3-D because the format capitalizes on the theatrical version's tailor-made shots, like the underwater sequences with a giant electric eel or when Johnson bounces fruit off his dancing pecs right at the camera.

'Yellow Submarine' Blu-ray

Capitol

Box Office: N/A
Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Fresh
Storyline: The Beatles and their yellow submarine are all that stand in the way of the Blue Meanies and a menacing Flying Glove threatening the paradise known as Pepperland, where music and happiness reign.
Extras! In addition to cel reproductions, collectible stickers and a 16-page booklet, this Blu-ray debut contains 30 behind-the-scenes photographs and 29 pencil drawings accessible via the disc's special features.
We Say: The swirling colors of this 1968 family flick only seem more vibrant in its transition to high definition, giving a new generation the chance to enjoy the strange lands and creatures visited by the animated Beatles.

Also New This Week:

"Act of Valor"
"Bad Ass"
"Erin Brokovich" Blu-ray
"Machine Gun Preacher"
"Sixteen Candles" Blu-ray

Getty Images

"All You Need Is Love?" No, you also need a studio.

Walt Disney Pictures has decided to stay on dry land and scrapped Robert Zemeckis' planned remake of "Yellow Submarine," the 1968 animated film featuring the Beatles and their adventures in Pepperland, a paradise under the sea, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The decision to drop "Submarine" was apparently made on the wake of this past weekend's disastrous box office returns for the $150 million-budgeted "Mars Needs Moms," produced by Zemeckis, which grossed only $6.9 million.

The bombing of "Mars" was the final nail in the coffin for the studio's increasingly uneasy relationship with Zemeckis and his love of motion capture animation, a filmmaking technique (often described as "creepy" when it comes to human characters) he's been exploring exclusively since 2004's "The Polar Express."

Disney had been starting to get a little iffy on the process since the disappointing box office returns of 2009's "A Christmas Carol."

Disney sinking "Yellow Submarine" means Zemeckis is now free to shop the project around to other studios. The "Back to the Future" director had Cary Elwes, Dean Lennox Kelly, Peter Serafionwicz and Adam Campbell attached to star as the Fab Four, but no word on whether that still holds true.

We have a feeling "Yellow Submarine" is sunk for good, and Zemeckis will go back to making movies that don't involve putting green dots all over the actors' faces. Which might be a good thing.

United Artists

We've heard of method acting before, but this may be the first instance of method directing, as Robert Zemeckis has begun answering questions about his proposed "Yellow Submarine" remake in nautical jargon.

This courtesy of Cinematical, which caught up to the acclaimed director to find out the status of his 3-D motion capture animated updating of the classic Beatles cartoon. His response? "All ahead full."

If you're not quite sure just what that means, don't worry, because we have a copy of "Jane's Fighting Ships" right here and apparently "all ahead full" is submariner speak for "full speed ahead," which in this case we're pretty sure means the movie is proceeding as planned.

This is good news for people curious to see what the director of previous groundbreaking CGI features "Beowulf'" and "The Polar Express" might do with the trippy 1968 movie that featured music from The Beatles in a psychedelic undersea landscape.

Production on the film, which is set to star Cary Elwes, Peter Serafinowicz, Adam Campbell and Dean Lennox Kelly as the voice of the Fab Four, had been expected to begin in April until rumors recently surfaced that the movie had been scuttled -- rumors started by, of all people, "Doctor Who's" David Tennant, who is up for the role of the villainous Blue Meanie.

Tennant's televised assertion that "the film has gone away," however, now seems to have been refuted by Zemeckis. Of course, it's possible that the "Back to the Future" director simply got the date wrong for "Talk Like A Pirate Day," but otherwise, you can start booking your tickets for passage to Pepperland.

"Yellow Submarine" is scheduled to surface in theaters in 2012.