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| 20 very different movies with identical titles |
20 very different movies with identical titles
One would think that identically titled movies are likely to be remakes, but the following flicks prove otherwise. Here are 20 pairs of movies that share a title and, apart from that, could not be more different.
Black Widow (2021 and 1987)
The most recent movie entitled Black Widow tells the backstory of Natasha Romanoff, a Soviet spy that originally appeared onscreen in Iron Man 2 under the alias Natalie Rushman. The 1987 homonymously titled movie, however, focuses on a federal investigator’s search for a woman who marries men in order to murder them and claim their fortunes.
Parasite (2019 and 1982)
Having won countless well-merited awards, the 2019 movie Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho, is a brilliant exploration of structural inequality and classism. By contrast, the 1982 Parasite is a campy, post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror flick, starring a young Demi Moore.
Suicide Squad (2016 and 1935)
Starring Margot Robbie, Will Smith, and Jared Leto, DC Entertainment’s 2016 Suicide Squad is an action-packed sci-fi picture about a squad of super-villain antiheroes hired by a secret government agency to save the world from an apocalyptic event. The 1935 drama that goes by the same name is about a young firefighter who becomes arrogant after receiving some good press.
Inside Out (2015 and 2011)
The 2015 children’s animated film Inside Out tells the heartwarming tale of a little girl who must learn to navigate a new city with the help of her personified emotions, Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness. Dissimilarly, 2011’s Inside Out was a tepidly received crime drama about a recently released murderer that faces reintegration while confronting past influences.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013 and 1929)
The 2013 biopic The Wolf of Wall Street recounts the life of Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), a wealthy stockbroker-turned-criminal (now an above-board “investment guru”). The eerily similar drama of the same title, released in 1929, also tells the story of a ruthless stockbroker, but this fictional film sees George Bancroft ruin his friends’ finances after selling short in the copper business.
Frozen (2013 and 2010)
You would have to be living under a rock not to have heard some kid somewhere singing “Let It Go,” and that is a testament to the cult following of the 2013 animated family flick Frozen. Quite different, however, is the 2010 thriller Frozen, which tells the more gruesome tale of three snowboarders stuck on a chairlift.
The Avengers (2012 and 1998)
Before Marvel Studios adopted the title The Avengers for their 2012 sci-fi movie about Earth’s greatest heroes coming together to fight a villain named Loki and his band of mischievous aliens, the title belonged to the glamorous 1998 spy thriller, starring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman.
Project X (2012 and 1987)
In the 2012 comedy entitled Project X, three high school seniors (or “twelfth-graders” for my fellow Canadians) throw an outlandish party to bolster their reputations, which unsurprisingly goes awry. The 1987 so-called “thriller” Project X is about an American Air Force pilot that sets out to expose corruption surrounding an experiment involving chimps.
The Illusionist (2010 and 2006)
The 2010 animated drama The Illusionist follows the life of a French illusionist who travels to Scotland in search of work before meeting a young woman who changes the course of his life. The better-known 2006 fantasy thriller The Illusionist tells the tale of a magician who lives in Vienna and uses his abilities to charm a woman of a higher social class.
Tangled (2010 and 2001)
While the 2010 children’s animated film Tangled breathes new life into the familiar story of Rapunzel, the 2001 drama Tangled is about a messy love triangle that ends in murder.
Notorious (2009 and 1946)
The 2009 biographical drama Notorious recounts the life and legacy of Christopher Wallace, otherwise known as The Notorious B.I.G. The 1946 Notorious is an Alfred Hitchcock suspense thriller that centres on a woman asked to spy on a group of Nazis in South America.
Twilight (2008 and 1998)
A simple search through IMDb will leave you utterly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of films entitled Twilight. While the 2008 fantasy romance Twilight tells the love story of a mortal and a vampire, based on Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novel series, the 1998 crime film of the same name tells the story of a retired detective who must revisit a dangerous past.
Iron Man (2008 and 1931)
The protagonist of Marvel Studios’ 2008 movie Iron Man, an engineer who creates a weaponized suit to fight crime, became an icon for an entire generation of children. The 1931 drama Iron Man is far less compelling insofar as its tropey plot centres around a gullible prizefighter whose gold-digging girlfriend (played by the legendary Jean Harlow) replaces his manager with her secret lover.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005 and 1941)
The popular 2005 spy thriller Mr. & Mrs. Smith tells the story of a married couple of assassins (played by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) who, unbeknownst to each other, have both been instructed to kill the other. The much less thrilling 1941 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith focuses on the lives of a married couple who come to realize their marriage is not legally binding.
Crash (2004 and 1996)
In the 2004 crime drama Crash, the lives of various people living in Los Angeles collide through entwined tales of fate, race, and loss. The controversial 1996 Crash tells the bizarre tale of a car-crash victim who is introduced to a subculture of car-crash-eroticizing symphorophiliacs.
The Fast and the Furious (2001 and 1954)
The now-legendary 2001 The Fast and the Furious explores an undercover cop’s moral dilemma about a newfound love for the street racing world, which he was tasked to dismantle. The 1954 same-titled thriller is about a trucker who escapes from prison after having been framed for murder and consequently flees for Mexico, taking a woman and her sports car hostage along the way.
Moulin Rouge (2001 and 1952)
The 2001 romantic musical Moulin Rouge tells the story of a young English writer who falls for a French courtesan at the Moulin Rouge, but the plot thickens when it turns out that a duke has had his eye on the young woman. By contrast, the 1952 biopic Moulin Rouge explores fictional accounts of the life of French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
Bad Boys (1995 and 1983)
The 1995 action flick Bad Boys, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, chronicles the adventures of two detectives who set out to solve a case surrounding stolen heroin while protecting the witness to a murder. In 1983’s Bad Boys, Sean Penn stars as Mick O’Brien in a crime drama about a young man who must attend reform school after murdering his nemesis’s kid brother.
Jack Frost (1998 and 1997)
Surely now considered a holiday classic, Troy Miller’s 1998 version of Jack Frost tells the story of a neglectful father and aging rock star, played by Michael Keaton, who passed away on Christmas Day and visits his son as a snowman the following year. Conversely, the identically titled B-movie released just a year prior sees a murderer, named Jack Frost, pass away in a pool of genetic material before being reanimated as a killer snowman, making the movie far less suitable for family viewing—to say the least.
Men in Black (1997 and 1934)
The better-known Men in Black sci-fi comedy, released in 1997 and starring Will Smith alongside Tommy Lee Jones, details the story of two police officers working for a secret organization that handles extraterrestrial encounters on Earth. However, in 1934, The Three Stooges starred in Men in Black, a film about a hospital being disrupted by three idiotic doctors.