From 'Ghostbusters' to 'The Jungle Book': 5 movie reboots and remakes to watch in 2016

When it comes to films, movie-goers either have a short memory or don't care about seeing two different flicks about the same story or character twice. After all, so many of the same people who rushed to watch "The Amazing Spider-Man" had just a few years prior paid to watch the "Spider-Man" trilogy starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in cinemas. The same could be said for the "Batman" and "Superman" franchises, and let's not forget even "Cinderalla" had its own well-received live action remake in 2015.

While the world waits with bated breath for the new "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" reboot, there are many other film remakes and reboots set for the big screens this year that have gone largely unnoticed. Here are five movies that may have fallen under your radar, but which may be just as good as their originals.

1 | Ghostbusters

Set for a July release, this reboot of the 1984 supernatural comedy of the same name directed by Paul Feig flips the gender roles of the lead actors to potentially bring in a plethora of laughs. Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon are the main cast filling in the roles of the titular ghostbusters and could possibly outshine the original ghostbusting team, which includes Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.

2 | The Jungle Book

This classic Rudyard Kipling novel which was adapted into the animated film “The Jungle Book” in 1967 is being remade as a live action film slated to be released on April 15. Following from the storyline of Kipling’s novel and the animated film, this movie follows the character of Mowgli as he is raised by wolves in the jungle and tries to evade a Bengal Tiger named Shere Khan.

Neel Sethi, who plays Mowgli, is joined by well-known actors such as Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken. This film is directed by Jon Favreau.

This film could interest the young at heart who grew up watching the animated film and provide a different visual feel to the original film and novel.

3 | The Magnificent Seven

Set to be released on September 23, this film is a remake of the 1960 Western film of the same name in which seven gunfighters are hired to protect a small community from bandits. The 1960 film "The Magnificent Seven" is itself a remake of the 1954 Japanese film, "Seven Samurai". Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the 2016 film brings together many notable actors including Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Vincent D’Onofrio.

4 | Going In Style

This film is set to be released on May 6 and is a remake of the 1979 comedy of the same name. The plot follows three retirees who decide to rob a bank to break the monotony of their twilight years. Directed by Zach Braff, known for his comedy work in "Scrubs" and with Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin set to play the three main characters, this remake may have some memorable moments to match the original film.

5 | The Legend of Tarzan

This film is the latest in a line of reboots and remakes of the novel "Tarzan of the Apes" by author Edgar Rice Burroughs, including the animated film released in 1999 and several live action films in the 20th century, such as "Tarzan of the Apes" (1918) and "Tarzan and the Jungle Boy" (1968).

The 2016 remake follows the character of Tarzan, played by Alexander Skarsgård, as he returns to his former home in the jungle from his life in England with Jane Porter.

Directed by David Yates who directed the final four "Harry Potter" films, and with a cast consisting of Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson and Margot Robbie, "The Legend of Tarzan" may be able to leave a longer lasting impression as compared to all the other Tarzan films.