3 Remake Actors for Horror Icons That May Interest You

In fact, in the horror genre, remakes have been admirable, at the very least. Say what you want about the Child's Play remake—Mark Hamill did just fine with his voice acting chops. Still we have issues, like the forgettable remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show bringing the genre down a notch, but in all fairness, that's one misstep among a legion of interesting takes on phenomenal ideas.

We Can't Put Our Finger on It, But It's Just Something About the Horror Genre That Begs Imitation!

When we see remake, we either say ugh (because we didn't like the original film anyway) or we say hmmmm... (because we're intrigued). Normally when we see the word remake or reboot regardless of whether or not we liked the original masterpiece, we shrug our shoulders.

Big deal. It's just a carbon copy. Who cares. But with the horror genre? We're curious. We want to see how they made something old, new. It was done with Puppet Master as you know, and of course It and Pet Sematary saw some serious scares to honor the King himself.

Of course, with all horror remakes, you have one dilemma: the villains. Say nothing at all of the heroines, of course, because they're apparently irreplaceable (just ask Linda Hamilton or Jamie Lee Curtis). But who, dear devils, would ever play the villains in remakes? Not the originals. Tim Curry as Pennywise won't fly, and certainly Bela Lugosi couldn't come back from the dead to bring back Dracula.

When considering a remake, and you're dealing with a truly iconic character who must be included in it, you have to weigh your options carefully about who can carry on the mantle. It can't be as easy as simply developing a new scary character by the name of James Veerhoos, wearing a fencing mask and wielding a baton, or a fedora-wearing dream master sporting forks for fingers.

With the villains, you can't be inventive. Simply go with what works. You're then left with the task of finding the right replacement, because oftentimes that remake will have surpassed the longevity of said iconic actor; not to mention if you do have the same actor, you might as well just simply call the film another sequel!

Thankfully it's been done relatively well lately, and we do have some news on remakes that may stir your emotions and make you go that familiar hmmmm...

Anthony Michael Hall as Tommy Doyle

Okay, yes, the iconic character next to Laurie Strode played by Jamie Lee Curtis is, of course, not the villain in this case: the character of Tommy Doyle was the ever-present kid, balancing the fervor and fire of a brunette facing off against a William Shatner lookalike.

Last we saw him played by Paul Rudd (yes, Ant-Man), and there was even some rumor that he would reprise the role in the next Halloween film. That would make sense given the adage that a protagonist must absolutely be portrayed by the original actor except for one important fact: Tommy Doyle is now, of course, all grown up. You then have a little leeway here given Rudd's schedule is all tied up!

Enter: Anthony Michael Hall of "Weird Science" fame, and when you think about it, that's pretty fitting given the style and flavor. So the rumor is true: Tommy Doyle's back, just as a different 'person'. Again, though, that's okay. And truth be told, this sequel to the technical sequel to the original 1978 Halloween classic that also had its own campy sequels which now technically don't exist anymore (confusing, we know) isn't a remake... We don't think.

And Then, of Course, Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise!

Very few actors can instill fear as themselves and the characters they play as evident in the above image. Bill Skarsgard has already had the mortifying pleasure of playing Pennywise once, heralding and honoring the great Tim Curry with gusto. And as we speak, the second chapter terrorizes audiences to death of clowns, literally making Skarsgard public enemy number one.

Of course, he's happy about it, because the new It films will have become the two highest grossing horror movies of all time.

The fact that the man can conjure a truly freakish smile like that makes for a great Pennywise, and some not only think he's as good as Tim Curry was, but perhaps better. There are still the naysayers, however, stating that Curry will always kill as the Dancing Clown. To each his/her own.

And IF There Will Be Another Remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Robert Englund Has His Eye Set on a Successor Already

Bear in mind that the iconic film already received a remake (ill-received), but not on account of the recent new actor's portrayal, of course. The issue is the recognizability (if that's even a word), making it so timeless. When you just have a 'monster', that's all it is. No, you have Freddy Krueger, and EVERYONE knows who he is.

Hence finding another actor who can take the character to a new level without being completely unrecognizable is a challenge. We think this is honestly why Michael Myers wears a Captain Kirk mask, and Voorhees wears a hockey mask. Honestly any actor of the same kind of build would be able to play the villain. Freddy, of course, is different.

Englund, though, had his thoughts about the next Krueger:

The rumor I've heard that I like is Kevin Bacon. Kevin loves horror. He's a real actor. He's a character actor. Kevin was great in Tremors. Kevin was great in Stir of Echoes. And I've heard this rumor. We need someone like that to take it on. And re-do it. exploiting all of the new technology.

There's the key: it's about character. Someone who can shred all semblance of identity and literally become the fear or wonder they emit. If anyone can do it, certainly Bacon can! After all, he did Footloose.