Summary
Geena Davis has vehemently argued why she believes that her classic 1991 movieThelma & Louiseshould never be remade. While her arguments make total sense, it’s important to recognize that any discussion about the film’s legacy is not as straightforward as saying it’s completely sacrosanct. In fact, 33 years on from the release of Ridley Scott’s much-loved crime-drama, it’s become increasingly clear thatThelma & Louisehas already been remade– just not in a conventional way.
Thelma & Louiseis available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Made for a budget of just $16.5 million,Thelma & Louisehas become one of 1991’s most influential and beloved movies. Not only did the film – which focuses on the misadventures of Thelma Dickinson and Louise Sawyer as a road trip takes a dramatic and unexpected turn – win an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, but its story of two women challenging the status quo and sacrificing everything for freedom became a cultural touchstone.Thelma & Louiseis so significant that it has been selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. With such enduring influence, it’s perhaps unsurprising that remaking the movie remains a possibility.
10 Movies Like Thelma & Louise Fans Will Enjoy
Fans of the drama and friendship in Thelma & Louise will likely enjoy these movies about crime and offbeat relationships between the characters.
Geena Davis Is Right, Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise Shouldn’t Get A Remake
It Has The Same Resonance As Other Classic Movies
In an interview withIndieWire,Thelma & Louisestar Geena Davisclearly explained why she believes Ridley Scott’s movie should never be remade. As part of her argument, she cited other classic movies, arguing thatThelma & Louisedeserves the same level of respect. As she put it:
It must never be remade. I mean, it’s 30-something years later, and it holds up more than others. I’m not saying this because I’m in it, but it really holds up. And there’s no need to revisit it. What would be the point? In my opinion. It would have to be better. I’m all in favor of making movies that didn’t really work again and making it work. That would be great. Thank God nobody ever tried to remake Casablanca or something… So far! I’m grateful. I would not be happy about that.
Davis' argument makes sense on two levels. On the one hand, it is difficult to see what new could be brought to the story by remaking the movie 33 years on. As evidenced byThelma & Louise’s multiple accolades,the movie did an exemplary job of addressing its core themes of female friendship and empowerment, making it difficult to see how any remake could improve on what’s gone before. It’s hard to identify a specific area whereThelma & Louiseexplicitly failed to execute an interesting idea, making any remake feel redundant.
A second issue is that, as time has passed, it’s become increasingly clear thatThelma & Louisedeserves to be mentioned in the same breath as other untouchable classic movies. Whereas comparing it toThe Godfatherin 1991 might have seemed presumptuous, the movie’s cultural cache is such that it deserves to hold a special status. Scenes such as the movie’s iconic ending, withThelma and Louise’s car driving over a cliff, are indispensable parts of the cultural framework. At this point, remaking such scenes would seem like a cynical cash grab rather than anything worthwhile.
Hollywood Has Already Successfully Repeated Thelma & Louise Without Actually Remaking It
Its Influence Is Felt Across The Industry
Although there has, thankfully, not been an officialThelma & Louiseremake,the movie’s themes and message have been replicated in numerous other Hollywood projects. Its premise of a road trip between friends providing an opportunity for personal growth and discovery has only become more popular in the years since its release. Beyond this, however, the movie has also played a key role in re-energizing the crime and road trip genre mash-up.
The film’s influence is still ongoing, evidenced by more contemporary projects like 2024’sDrive Away Dolls– a comedy crime thriller that owes a clear debt to Ridley Scott’s movie.
In the immediate aftermath of its release, hits likeTrue RomanceandNatural Born Killersall borrowed elements ofThelma & Louise’s story. The film’s influence is still ongoing, evidenced by more contemporary projects like 2024’sDrive Away Dolls– a comedy crime thriller that owes a clear debt toRidley Scott’s movie. Given the extent to which Hollywood can replicateThelma & Louise’s formula, it’s clear thatthere is no need to straightforwardly remake the original movie– its themes and story are so universal that it would end up being a pointless exercise.
Why Thelma & Louise Still Holds Up So Well After 33 Years
It’s A Timeless Story That Transcends Any Era
Whereas some great 1990s movies are very much of their time,Thelma & Louisebenefits from being a timeless story of friendship that resonates in any era. Not only does the road trip formula allow a movie to explore eternal ideas of friendship, freedom, and adventure – evidenced by the fact that road trip films have been a feature of cinema for decades – butThelma & Louisecleverly combines these themes with a specifically female perspective. Not only does this give the movie a particular slant, but it also marks it out as an outlier in an industry that, to this day, often sidelines female-led stories.
It’s perhaps surprising that relatively few films have repeatedThelma & Louise’s central twist of following two female protagonists. Yet while this is a slight indictment on the industry as a whole, it speaks volumes about the movie’s success that it still feels fresh, daring, and something of an outlier – three decades on from its release. Combined with a riveting story, beautifully drawn characters, and subtle commentary on society,Thelma & Louisestill has all the ingredients necessary to appeal to a modern audience.
