Movie Musicals That Deserve a Fancy New Reboot Like 'Annie

As beloved and iconic as it is, let;s face the facts: the original film of Annie is looking a little crusty these days. Sure, it has its charms and it;s going to exist as long as someone pays to keep it in print, but it feels more like a curiosity. It;s no longer vital. So it;s easy to understand why the new version exists and why it updates the characters and stories for the modern day. We can argue about quality all day, but the desire to see a good musical restaged and refilmed is a natural urge. It;s less of wanting a good remake and more of wanting a good cover.So let;s delve into the world of movie musicals that demand a new version. Some of these are legitimately great movies that would prove fascinating if remade. Others are weak movies that deserve a good version to begin with. Some of them fall somewhere in between. Many of them even have passionate fans who will be deeply offended by the mere suggestion of a remake. We apologize in advance.17761776 is a great musical, but only a good movie. Although filled with witty dialogue, memorable songs, hilarious banter, tremendous performances and a keen sense of actual history (it openly acknowledges many unpleasant truths about America;s war for independence), the 1972 movie adaptation of the stage musical just kind of sits there for most of its running time. For all of the dynamism in the film;s direction, we might as well be watching a filmed version of live theater. A new version, shot like an actual movie with a real sense of style, would be a genuine treat.My Fair LadyHave you watched My Fair Lady recently? For all of its charms, it hasn;t aged well. It feels hopelessly flabby at 170 minutes and it;s hard to not notice that Audrey Hepburn was dubbed for all of her songs. The film has its fans and for many it;s an undisputed classic, but this is a creaky old antique that could use some restoration. There have been plenty of modern movies about slobs being transformed into sexy movie stars, but this is the preeminent version. It;s time for it to return to the top. And maybe, just maybe, a new version can trim itself down to reasonable running time.Damn YankeesIn many ways, Damn Yankees and its 1958 film adaptation feel a little ahead of their time. These days, the idea of a baseball-themed musical comedy loosely based on the story of Faust sounds like a high concept cooked up by a particularly enthusiastic screenwriter. However, there;s no irony or cynicism to be found in the original, which combines sports and romance and deals with the devil into a charming, sexy and very funny package. A new film version has been in development for ages. It;s time to really get the ball rolling on this one.Paint Your WagonPaint Your Wagon is a terrible movie. It;s a joke. It practically parodies itself as it goes along while being entirely unaware of just how hard it;s falling on its face. After all, this is a Western musical starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin, two men who have no business singing in a major motion picture. Watching Paint Your Wagon is enjoyable in a train wreck sort of way... which is exactly why a version needs to exist. Someone needs to to recruit two modern movie-star tough guys, put them in cowboy outfits and force them to sing songs while looking visibly uncomfortable. It would be terrible. It would be glorious.A Chorus LineEven if you haven;t seen any versions of A Chorus Line, you;re probably familiar with at least some of the songs, which have embedded themselves into pop culture in some surprising ways. How many showbiz parodies have utilized I Hope I Get It? It;s a great show, told in real time as dancers audition for a big show and are cut, one by one. However, the 1985 film adaptation is as limp and boring as move musicals get. It;s a high-concept premise and the movie never quite manages to grasp how to take such a stage-bound premise and make it work on the screen. But what would happen if you give this script to a director with a huge imagination and nothing to lose? A good version, maybe. Hopefully.OklahomaA lot of the movies on this list demand new versions because they missed the mark the first time around or because they scream for a modern reinterpretation. But not Oklahoma. Oh, no. Oklahoma is great and will always be great. It;s really hard to screw up this show. We just want a new version because this show is so much good-natured fun that we want every generation to have their own version starring a new selection of actors.Jesus Christ SuperstarForty-four years after it debuted, Jesus Christ Superstar remains one of the most entertaining and subversive musicals to ever achieve mainstream success. However, the 1973 film adaptation, while interesting, doesn;t carry the same weight as the show it;s adapting. Filmed without real sets, the movie version tells the rock opera story of Jesus and his crucifixion as a show within a show, with a troupe of hippy actors putting on a performance in the middle of the desert. Some of it works, but it;s an angle that keeps the story and the characters at arm;s length. A new adaptation that embeds these songs an situations into an actual period setting could prove fascinating.