There’s still a bright light looming for those who haven’t crossed over to the other side yet, at least whereChanning Tatum’spossible remake of the romantic runaway hitGhost(1990) is concerned. It’s been nearly 35 years sinceDemi Mooreteamed up with the late Patrick Swayze in director Jerry Zucker’s classic flick. And while doing an interview promoting her Cannes Film Festival horror movie,The Substance,Moore addressed Tatum’s potentialGhostremake. The actress toldEntertainment Weekly:
“Look, every story in some ways has already been told.The wonderful thing is the different way things can be reinterpreted.I think there are some films that often are better left not touchedand left.And then sometimes there are wonderful surprises in that reinterpretation.”
Back in January of 2023, while promotingMagic Mike’s Last Dance,Tatum said, “We actually have the rights. Yeah, the rights toGhost"(perVariety). Tatum also wants to portray the role of Sam Wheat, who was originally portrayed by Patrick Swayze in the 1990 smash hit. As far as Moore goes, though, she hasn’t been contacted about possibly making an appearance; Moore played the role of Molly Jensen in the original. The actress then responded to whether Tatum had contacted her during the same interview with EW:
No, he hasn’t […] He’s super talented. I’d be curious to see what he decides to do.
Demi Moore Dishes on Script, Poor Reviews for Ghost
Ghostis undoubtedly one of the saddest romantic moviesof all time. And as it turns out, it’s also one of shock jock Howard Stern’s favorite flicks. And that segue brings cinephiles to one of, if not the most sensual and captivating moments in the 1990 film: the pottery scene. It’s arguably absurd to even think of aGhostremake without the lead performers recreating the on-screen magic captured by Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze over three decades ago.
However, Channing Tatum has already gone on record saying that there will definitely be changes in the remake, should he pursue the project. The pottery scene is just one thing Tatum must address. Obviously, recreating the movie as a whole is a big decision Tatum must mull over because he is considering remaking what many people consider to be a romantic masterpiece. But when Moore first read the screenplay, the story wasn’t exactly jumping off the page at her as one might think it would, especially considering its success all these years later. Moore first said to herself when going over the script (perThe Howard Stern Show):
“This is either going to be amazing or an absolute disaster.It’s a comedy, a thriller and a romance.How are they going to pull that off?And everything about it worked. And dealing with the subject of afterlife andthings that people were not certainly as open to as we are now.”
Ghost (1990): Where the Cast Is Today
Ghost is a classic of supernatural romance and ’90s cinema in general, starring several actors who would go on to define the decade.
Moore also remembers thatGhostwasn’t a critical success when it hit theaters in July of 1990, and the actress couldn’t believe the poor reviews that she was reading, especially considering how much Moore enjoyed the final cut. Its acclaim is interesting to ponder because ofGhost’smystique today, not to mention it includes one ofthe most romantic on-screen kisses of all time.But if one looks at the numbers on Rotten Tomatoes,Ghostis only an average-to-above-average film, which registers 75% on the Tomatometer with an audience score of 80%.
But there’s no disputing that its numerous theatrical releases over the years have been a triumph. Armed with a production budget of only $22 million,Ghosthas gone on to haul in a worldwide take of $505.7 million (perBox Office Mojo).
At the time of this writing, Channing Tatum’sGhostremake remains adrift. Meanwhile,Ghost(1990) is available to stream absolutely free onPlutoTV.
