The Fly (1986)

David Cronenberg topped the special effects of the 1958 classic by hiring the Academy Award-winning makeup designers Chris Walas, Inc. That and gore. Tons and tons of gore that still grosses us out today. There’s just something about acidic vomit, y’know?

The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter‘s update on 1951′s The Thing From Another World took memories of that film and cracked its chest open, turned it inside out, and then made it talk through its butt. What I’m trying to say is that Rob Bottin’s practical effects were so shocking and unforgettable, that Carpenter’s film remains the gold standard for sci-fi horror to this day. Also a valuable upgrade from the original: that awesome hat that Kurt Russell wears.

Battlestar Galactica (2003)

When the Syfy Channel announced that it was remaking the beloved space-opera Battlestar Galactica, fans didn’t know what to expect. What they got was mind-blowing. Set aside the fact that the scripts and plotting for Ronald D. Moore’s reimagining were excellent, and focus solely on the special effects. The unique technique of adding pans, zooms, and focus pulls to the computer-rendered space battles brought to mind newsreel footage of World War II and Vietnam, allowing the viewer to sit amongst the action and connect emotionally to the scenes rather than just watching stuff blow up.

Planet Of The Apes (2001)

It’s by no stretch a better film but those apes looked great.

Star Trek (2009)

JJ Abrams breathed an entirely new life into the already established and worshiped franchise by redesigning and rebuilding everything we thought we knew. Also, he added lens flare. So. Much. Lens. Flare.

The Nutty Professor (1996)

What Jerry Lewis was able to do with a silly face back in 1963, Eddie Murphy was able to top with foam latex fat suits and cutting edge visual effects. Rick Baker’s makeup is flawless — turning Eddie Murphy into not one but five distinct characters. Another draw for this film are the stunning transformation scenes by Rhythm & Hues Studios, as Murphy’s Sherman Klump wrestles to control Buddy Love, often ballooning and shrinking right before our eyes.

War Of The Worlds (2005)

Steven Spielberg took what H.G. Wells scared the crap out of radio listeners with and made it visually terrifying. Industrial Light & Magic served as the main effects house working on the film — creating over 500 CGI effects. In order to prevent the film from looking like total crap, the use of blue screen and computer-generated landscapes was kept to a minimum. Instead the computer-animated Tripod creatures were integrated into shot footage and miniatures.

Zodiac writer Jamie Vanderbilt is web-slinging his way back to crime dramas after penning The Amazing Spider-Man. He’s set to write Ridley Scott‘s Red Riding for Columbia, but don’t worry, it’s not another entry in the endless wave fairy tale adaptations. Based on a British mini-series, which was based on books by David Pearce, which were probably based on something else, Red Riding is about the murders of several kidnapped young girls in a British town from the mid-70s to the mid-80s. Oh, and the local police are also crooked. The whole thing sounds like a light-hearted good time.

Vanderbilt, whose last name makes him sound like the country club villain in an 80s comedy, recently did a polish draft on the Total Recall remake. (Hollywood Reporter)

Beckinsale has been surprisingly chosen by remake director Len Wiseman, her husband, to play Lori – the quote-unquote-wife of our very confused hero Douglas Quaid, played by Colin Farrell. The role of Lori was originally played by Sharon Stone in the Paul Verhoeven version, which there was absolutely nothing wrong with. Currently, Beckinsale is shooting – another shocker, folks – Underworld 4. So we’ll if she’s too busy Lycan-hunting to take the gig.

Meanwhile, Eva Mendes and Rosario Dawson are apparently circling the part of Melina. (Deadline)

Sony will co-finance and distribute the next two James Bond movies, including the upcoming Bond 23 which might star Javier Bardem or Anthony Hopkins as the villain. In return, Sony executives had to dance around in gold bikinis for MGM execs, while they sat in their fancy suits and casually smoked cigarettes. Actually, MGM gets to co-finance several Sony’s films, including potentially big moneymakers like the Total Recall remake and David Fincher‘s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, cause MGM needs some sweet, sweet cash.

MGM was flirting with Fox, Warner Bros and Paramount, but the studio ultimately returned to its partner for past successes like Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. How very un-Bond-like of MGM, sticking with the same girl in the end. Well, I guess you never should say never again. (Deadline)

Cranston is in negotiations to play the villain. There aren’t any details on the villain however and whether or not he’ll mutate into Rodney Dangerfield during the film’s final battle. But if that is required, I’m sure Cranston can pull it off. He has surprising range. (Variety)

This evening, The Hollywood Reporter posted that Kurt Wimmer, writer of Street Kings, Equilibrium, Ultraviolet and the upcoming Salt , has been hired by Neal H. Moritz and Original Films to complete a draft of a Total Recall remake.  They’re calling it a "contemporized adaptation."

All I’m saying is that I hope they don’t go the CG-route with the three-boobed lady.  At Screen Junkies, we prefer our mutated female breasts to be all-natural latex prosthetics.