ABSTRACT

Chapter 2: The Economic Remake examines the role of money in reproduction, presenting the case of a risk-averse Hollywood, but also an industry that is very willing to spend exorbitant sums if a project feels like a “sure(r) thing”. Hollywood’s desire to recapture lightning in a bottle is a key driver in revisiting previously-filmed stories. I explore remakes that succeed in making money and also investigate the box office flops. Risk-aversion on the part of audiences is analyzed, as are debates around diminishing returns. The notion of remakes not only helping to make money through the box office but also through populating a studio’s catalogue and in reigniting interest in a predecessor are also discussed. Also explored are remakes helping studios to save money through script recycling and the increased return on investment that comes from utilizing creative material across several properties. The ability to take advantage of both pre-existing titles and audience awareness is examined as related to media branding and marketing, and debates around remakes destroying competition are explored: both as related to legacy and more commonly, with remakes becoming the definitive presentation of a story.