Summary
1985’sEnemy Mineis getting a remake. TheWolfgang Petersen moviewas the director’s first project after helming 1981’sDas Bootand 1984’sThe NeverEnding Story. A co-production between the U.S., the U.K, and West Germany, the sci-fi movie starred Dennis Quaid as human astronaut Willis Davidge, who becomes stranded on a planet with Jeriba Shigan (Louis Gossett Jr.), a fighter from a reptilian enemy race known as the Drac. While fighting for their survival, they form an unlikely bond.
PerThe Hollywood Reporter, aremake ofEnemy Mineis in the works at 20th Century Studios. The screenplay is set to be written by Terry Matalas, the showrunner of the final season ofStar Trek: Picard. Matalas' other writing experience is primarily in television, on small screen projects includingNikitaandMacGyveras well as other sci-fi titles such asStar Trek: Enterprise,Terra Nova, and12 Monkeys. He is not currently attached to direct, however, as no director has been formally announced.
Enemy Mine Could Be Ripe For A Remake
The Movie Was A Commercial & Critical Failure
If theEnemy Mineremake becomes a hit, it also comes with a ready-built franchise with plenty of room for expansion.
Enemy Minehad a rough production history. Thesci-fi moviewas initially set to be directed byWimbledon’s Richard Loncraine, but clashes with producers led to him being removed from the project after just one week. When it was finally released, though it was popular in the Soviet Union, it was a commercial failure,only earning $12.3 million despite costing $40 millionbetween its production budget and marketing expenses. At the time of writing, it also has a lukewarm Rotten Tomatoes score of 59%. However, there are many factors that make it ripe for a remake.
A $40 million price tag likely meant thatEnemy Minewould have needed to make $80 million in order to break even.
Enemy Minenot being a huge hit could be a good thing for the remake. While its cult following gives the movie name recognition,it has a foundation that can still be improved onwithout the baggage that comes with remaking a universally beloved property. The themes of overcoming bigotry and working together can also be worked into a story that is moving and relevant for modern audiences. The fact that those tie in so well with the overall themes of theStar Trekfranchise could also mean that Matalas is a great fit for the project.
10 Sci-Fi Movie Remakes That Actually Surpassed The Original
While some sci-fi remakes can fall short of the original, others can enhance and even improve upon their forerunners. These are the best examples.
If theEnemy Mineremake becomes a hit, it also comes with a ready-built franchise with plenty of room for expansion. The original movie was based on the 1979 novella of the same name by Barry B. Longyear. BecauseLongyear wrote two sequels in what was later called theEnemy Paperstrilogy, there is a road map for where possible sequels could go. It remains to be seen if the remake is ever produced, let alone if it becomes a hit, but there is a good chance that it could become a force to be reckoned with down the road.
