The Road House remake had to overcome many challenges to become successful on Amazon, but Channing Tatum’s remake of another Patrick Swayze movie faces even bigger hurdles. Since remakes of classic films usually “miss” more than they “hit,” their announcement is often met with skepticism, and rightfully so. Amazon’s Road House remake garnered negative attention when it was first announced, but it surprisingly performed incredibly well after premiering on the streamer.

In many ways, Road House‘s success proves that remakes, if executed well, can sometimes work well. However, even though Amazon’s Road House has slightly improved the reputation of remakes, it is hard not to be doubtful about another potential Patrick Swayze remake currently in the talks. Compared to Road House, creating this remake is going to be incredibly difficult for more reasons than one.

Channing Tatum Is Remaking Ghost – But The Original Was Very Popular

Ghost Was Among The Most Influential Films Of Its Time

After its theatrical release in 1990, Ghost grossed $505 million against a fairly low budget of $22–23 million. Its incredible performance at the box office made it the third highest-grossing movie of its time and also the most commercially successful film of 1990. Even from a critical standpoint, the film garnered rave reviews from viewers and critics and earned five nominations at the Academy Awards. Whoopi Goldberg also won an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category for her portrayal of Oda Mae Brown in the film.

Ghost continued raking in big numbers even in the home video market, making it one of the biggest films of its time. A Channing Tatum remake of the movie sounds interesting, but it bears the pressure of recreating the magic and the commercial success of the original. Since the original Ghost was also immensely popular, any attempts to remake it would inevitably face comparisons. The fact that the original Ghost captured lighting in a bottle highlights how it may be nearly impossible for a remake to be even half as good.

Road House Was An Easier Remake Than Ghost

Ghost Is More Character-Driven & Emotionally Resonant Than Road House

Although the Road House remake has received a mixed critical response, it has earned massive numbers on Amazon. It has been so successful that Amazon has also confirmed Road House 2. While Road House‘s success may raise hopes surrounding the Ghost remake, it must be noted that remaking Road House was relatively easier. The original 1989’s Road House‘s primary appeal comes from its campy fun, raw and sometimes over-the-top action, and corny dialogue. To recreate what made the original so popular, the remake mostly had to combine these elements while weaving a contemporary yarn over them.

Ghost, in contrast, is revered for its emotional heft, character chemistry, and timeless themes of love and faith, which may be harder to recreate. The original 1990 Ghost also has some iconic moments, like the pottery scene, which, if recreated, will only be compared to the original. At the 63rd Academy Awards, Bruce Joel Rubin won an Oscar for writing Ghost‘s screenplay, which is a testament to how perfect the film’s storyline is. Owing to this, any changes to the original could potentially draw significant scrutiny and criticism. Similarly, similarities to the original would only encourage more and more comparisons.

What Channing Tatum’s Ghost Remake Can Learn From 2024’s Road House

2024’s Road House Might Have The Perfect Blueprint For Channing Tatum’s Ghost

The Road House remake is jampacked with subtle references to the original. However, instead of completely emulating the 1989 movie’s recipe and storytelling format, Amazon’s Road House creates its own identity. The original Roadhouse certainly had its own charm, which the remake was not expected to recreate. But director Doug Liman and the film’s cast still do a great job of making the film fun, over-the-top, and reminiscent of campy ’80s action movies. Ghost can tread a similar path by drawing inspiration from the original but not redoing all of its story elements.

To avoid comparisons with the original Ghost, the Channing Tatum movie must do its own thing and adopt its own distinct tone. Since it is a remake of Ghost at the end of the day, it cannot avoid having the supernatural and romance that drives the original film. However, like Road House, the Ghost remake can make good use of modern filmmaking technology to improve upon the original supernatural elements while portraying the chemistry between the two leads in a new, refreshing light.