‘PBS Idea Channel’ Explores Why Hollywood Remakes Movies

PBS Idea Channel host Mike Rugnetta explores why Hollywood remakes movies in a recent episode of the series. Rugnetta points out that yes, money is an important factor, but really the reason behind the constant remaking of culture is much more complicated and includes factors like ease of use.

Fantastic Four, Jurassic World, The Hulk, Star Trek, Spiderman… is it just me or does it seem like remakes are EVERYWHERE? And not only that, but it seems like some movies are just sequel bait, deliberately leaving their ends open to ensure we return to the theaters a year from now to catch the second half of a story we thought we were getting the whole version of. What’s up with that? Besides financial reasons, why are there so many remakes? Does Simon Pegg have the answer? Or maybe our grumpy friend Jean Baudrillard!