Leo Remaking 'WarGames'

It's about time. Jeez, WarGames has been dying for a remake for at least half a decade. The original, released in 1983, is just so outdated but the potential is an absolute goldmine. Now, Leonardo DiCaprio has apparently stepped up to produce the remake through his bourgeoning Appian Way production company. Production Weekly reported the story, offering very few details. We can tell you that this is probably not at all connected to the direct-to-DVD sequel Wargames: The Dead Code, and we should all be thankful for that, according to the reviews. DiCaprio has been remaking a lot of films lately, or he has designs on remaking them. Between this, Akira, and the reports of a Twilight Zone update, he's certainly got his hands full. I think WarGames could be huge...if it's not just Eagle Eye. If they take it Orwellian, there's a massive upside. But if they're just going to slick up the original, I don't see the point.

Comments

[Lost Wilson]

Here's a great article about the history of WarGames over at Wired.com...

WarGames: A Look Back at the Film That Turned Geeks and Phreaks Into Stars

Enjoy!

[Lost Wilson]

Here's the Link

[Orinn]

Isn't an updated war games just a skynet that learned no one wins at war?

[JOhn]

Remaking a classic like this that is still in the mind's eye of every tech nerd out there is probably the most horrible idea ever. Adding that Matthew Broderick is still alive, and you'd be extremely hard pressed to find someone able to match the charisma he showed in this role.
A remake would be equivalent to something like Eagle Eye. Just like rumors of Ferris Bueller's Day Off being remade make me immediately think it's going to be a lame Van Wilder style film.

It's just too soon - the nostalgia of certain items is still stronger than the remake.

Transformers disproved this but only made sense because there was a tech angle that could be exploited and updated - and a generation of kids whose parents loved to see them playing with the same toys and new the characters well.
Meanwhile, GI Joe is a flop because there is low connection or interest in seeing new actors play forgotten characters. And these were both originally animated!

Yes- Star Wars prequels did great. But even just a few years later- the originals still outshine the new films, and this will be the case historically.

Similar thoughts on how remaking the original Terminator would also be a horrible idea - which is why the sequels and prequels need to be made to continue to rake the cash in. Arnold is still alive and the stories have been developed to explain the clunkiness and slowness of the original Terminator robot, but play this up further to show its brute strength. But that's only because aside from John Connor, that is the character we care about. The feel of the movies is because of that character, in that time. Anything else might as well just be called something else.