The movie Geena Davis never wants to see remade: “What would be the point?”
Between the mid-1980s and mid-90s, Geena Davis ruled the world. She made her big screen debut in Tootsie, one of the most acclaimed movies of 1982, before going on to appear in classics like Beetlejuice, The Accidental Tourist, and David Cronenberg’s The Fly. The following decade brought her even more success, as she lent her considerable talents to A League of Their Own, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and, of course, the Stuart Little cinematic universe, the ‘SLCU’, if you will.
Naturally, you can’t mention Davis’ career during this period without bringing up Thelma and Louise. Directed by Ridley Scott, this iconic road movie stars Davis as Thelma Dickinson, a browbeaten housewife trapped in a loveless marriage, and Susan Sarandon as her friend Louise Sawyer, who lives without a care in the world.
Though it didn’t have the effect some thought it would, Thelma and Louise still marked a turning point for mainstream cinema. It explored various elements of womanhood in ways no major production had ever attempted. While male ‘buddy’ movies were all the rage, a film starring two female friends living their lives and talking about their problems was nothing short of revolutionary.
All of this would explain why Davis is so protective of it. “It must never be remade,” she told an audience at the 202 edition of the Bentonville Film Festival. “I mean, it’s 30-something years later, and it holds up more than others. I’m not saying this because I’m in it, but it really holds up. And there’s no need to revisit it. What would be the point? In my opinion.”
Hollywood is very much in ‘nostalgia mode’ at the moment, with almost every successful picture from the past getting at least talked about for a redo or legacy sequel. Rumours of a Thelma and Louise remake have been swirling for years, with everyone from Cara Delevigne and Michelle Rodriguez to Lady Gaga and Beyoncé ‘in talks’ to take on the lead roles. Given how the original movie ends (no spoilers), it would be hard for anybody to write a sequel, but this is the same movie industry that brought Emperor Palpatine back for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Nothing is off the table.
Davis herself knows a thing or two about avoiding dodgy reboots and sequels. Notwithstanding her character making the briefest of brief appearances in the godforsaken The Fly II, she was played by somebody else. Davis was also notably absent from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-gestating but ultimately pointless sequel to Tim Burton’s original. Theories explaining her absence ranged from Burton wanting to focus more on the Deetz family to needing to write Alec Baldwin’s character out of the story. Whatever the reason, Davis dodged a giant, black-and-white striped bullet with that one.
In an era when nothing is sacred anymore, it’s easy to see why Davis would be so heartbroken if Thelma and Louise were dragged through the mud. The movie literally changed her life, hence her need to protect its legacy with all her might.
