Original horror stories are all the rage these days. 2025 alone has seen the release of several instant classics, starting with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners in April. The Black Panther director decided to try his hand at a movie centered on vampires and the folklore surrounding them, and the final product was outstanding. Sinners‘ success paved the way for smaller films like Bring Her Back and Companion to find success by telling unique stories. However, every horror story this year has to bow down to Zach Cregger’s Weapons, which took the world by storm thanks to its cryptic marketing and strong word of mouth.
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All these filmmakers with great original ideas probably make the world wonder why studios even try making remakes. Sure, they can make good money, but they have to be firing on all cylinders for that to happen. However, box office hauls aren’t the only indicator of success. A solid showing on review aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes and positive fan response can also be solid steps in the right direction. One remake from 2025 has some pep in its step for those very reasons, even if not enough people know about it.
One 1980s Horror Film Was Ahead of Its Time
The horror landscape was very different in the 1980s. There was a lot more showing than telling, with the major franchises like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street relying on the generic slasher model to bring the scares. That didn’t sit right with Kevin Tenney, who wanted to bring something new to the table. He cooked up a story about a college student using an Ouija board alone in her dorm and being possessed by a serial killer who committed brutal murders decades earlier. Cinema Board liked the idea enough to hand Tenney over a respectable budget, and he got to work.
Upon its release, Witchboard did well at the box office, earning $7.4 million on a $2 million budget. That doesn’t mean it didn’t run into its fair share of roadblocks, though. Critics took the film to task, calling out its lackluster payoff and lack of scares. Tenney took it in stride and continued working in the genre, even directing a Witchboard sequel in 1993 that had no real connection to the first. But as the years went on, the narrative around Witchboard changed. Fans started to appreciate its big swings and unique tone, building a cult following that’s still going strong to this day. And all their hard work is finally paying off because they now have an underrated remake to obsess over.
Witchboard‘s 2025 Remake Might Be Better Than the First
Nearly forty years after the first Witchboard‘s release, the property is back. Chuck Russell’s film, starring Madison Iseman, Aaron Dominguez, Melanie Jarnson, Charlie Tahan, Antonia Desplat, and Stranger Things‘ Jamie Campbell Bower, takes place in New Orleans, as a couple looks to start anew by opening a restaurant. Everything’s going smoothly until they stumble upon an Ouija board and unleash a witch from the 1600s that isn’t looking to make friends.
While everything looks good on paper for Witchboard, with more than a few critics singing its praises, the issue comes in the financial department. The movie grossed only $500,000 at the box office after a limited theatrical release in the United States. However, tumbling out of the gate doesn’t have to be a nail in the coffin for the new Witchboard because there’s already proof that the IP can stand the test of time. It also has the benefit of living in the streaming era, where anything can become a hit overnight.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
