The recent trend of remaking classic films with modern updates often feels uninspired and lacking in creativity. While some remakes have merit, oftentimes these reboots come across as Hollywood trying to capitalize on existing intellectual property rather than take risks on original stories.
Kenya Barris, creator of “Black-ish,” recently announced updates to two revered classics – “The Wizard of Oz” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” In the crowded entertainment landscape, attaching Barris’ name and modernizing beloved films may garner attention. However, reworking timeless masterpieces primarily to swap lead characters for people of color seems misguided.
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“The original ‘Wizard of Oz’ took place during the Great Depression and it was about self-reliance and what people were going through,” Barris told Variety. “I think this is the perfect time to switch the characters and talk about what someone imagines their life could be. It’s ultimately a hero’s journey, someone thinks something’s better than where they’re at, and they go and realize that where they’re at is where they should be. I want people to be proud and happy about where they’re from. But I want the world to take a look at it and I hope that will come through.”
Hollywood’s attempts at pushing racial agendas through remakes feel like checkbox exercises while alienating audiences from going to the cinema at all. The second film he’s working on is an update of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and will feature a person of color in a race-swapped role.
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“I feel like Christmas movies are amazing and I think the idea of taking something that has that long of a history and a tale behind it and putting an amazing piece of talent to tell that story,” he told the outlet. “It’s a guy who’s trying to help out his community and things are going to turn around on him. I think that’s the perfect story to tell for a person of color — Black or brown — to get into that because our communities have some issues and someone trying to help that community out. I think that’s the perfect vehicle to tell that story from.”
Barris defends his reliance on existing IP, arguing that “stories are all told again and again.” This defense ignores valid critiques about Hollywood’s creative stagnation. Fresh stories that organically incorporate diversity would resonate more deeply than surface-level remakes. Kenya Barris has a platform to foster originality – he should use it.
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Addressing the criticism he’s received over intellectual property concerns, Barris said he’s “still a believer in IP.” “I get sh*t for it sometimes but I believe that the idea of some of those great stories – stories are all told again and again and again,” he added. “So having the opportunity to take some of those IPs and tell them from a different point of view is a gift that I hopefully keep getting.”
Barris previously told “The Tonight Show” of his plans for his Oz remake.
“I think that this is the best time to turn a mirror on society because we need to see ourselves, and I want to do it with diverse characters,” he told Jimmy Fallon. “The character lives in Inglewood, and someone comes up and she ends up in Underhood, which is right outside of Oz, and it takes place from there.”
Rather than repackaging Wizard of Oz or It’s a Wonderful Life as “diverse updates,” Kenya Barris and Hollywood as a whole should fund and distribute something original. The industry’s obsession with race and gender-swapping pre-existing franchises continues to stifle creativity. It also comes across as disingenuous. If studios and producers like Barris sincerely wish to champion diversity, they would put resources behind new filmmakers, not just recolor classics.
Do you think classic Hollywood should be touched up by modern diversity standards? Let us know in the comments.
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Kenya Barris is nothing more than a Critical Race Theorist. He needs to move to Cuba. Along with the rest of the corrupt people in Hollywood, and form their own entertainment industry in Cuba.
This was done in 1978. Has he never heard of The Wiz? Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor, etc.