5 ’80s Movies That Deserve the Ultimate Prestige TV Reboot

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Films from the 1980s, such as Alternated States and the often-overlooked thriller No Way Out, would work better as high-quality TV series than as new movies. In fact, all the films mentioned below would be improved by being adapted into longer-form television shows if they were ever remade.

Recreating classic films is always a gamble. However, many beloved stories could benefit from a fresh take for today’s viewers, and changing the format – like turning a movie into a series – can be a great way to do that.

With a full TV season, stories have room to grow and become more complex in ways a movie simply can’t allow.

Altered States

Directed By Ken Russell; Written By Paddy Chayefsky; Starring William Hurt, Blair Brown & More; Released In 1980

Altered States is a groundbreaking horror film that heavily influenced the wave of body horror and thrillers that followed in the 1980s, including movies like From Beyond and The Stuff. The story centers around Eddie Jessup, played by William Hurt, who pushes the boundaries of his mind through sensory deprivation and hallucinogenic drugs, with terrifying consequences.

In the movie’s dramatic finale, Jessup nearly breaks through to another dimension, but his wife, Emily, saves him. Released in 1980, Altered States was a groundbreaking film due to its unsettling visuals and thought-provoking exploration of human evolution and regression. Today, this story would work better as a TV series, allowing the complex plot and character changes to unfold more fully.

Blow Out

Written And Directed By Brian De Palma; Starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow & More; Released In 1981

Brian de Palma directed Blow Out in the early 1980s, just before making his iconic film Scarface. While the movie is a gritty and sensational thriller, it features a surprisingly complex storyline that would work well as a high-quality TV series.

The movie Blow Out is very suspenseful, and that suspense could be explored even further in a TV series. The show could delve deeper into the characters – like John Travolta’s lead, Nancy Allen’s complex character, and John Lithgow’s unforgettable villain – giving them more development than the film’s runtime allowed.

Brian de Palma’s Blow Out is a clear tribute to Alfred Hitchcock, reimagined for the 1980s and built around a story similar to Rear Window. Just as Disturbia updated Rear Window in 2007, it’s time to revisit Blow Out, and it would work better as a television series than a film.

Brainstorm

Directed By Douglas Trumbull; Written By Phillip Frank Messina & Robert Stitzel; Starring Christopher Walken, Natalie Wood & More; Released 1983

Brainstorm is an early 1980s sci-fi movie that was ahead of its time. The core idea – scientists trying to record human experiences onto tape – feels surprisingly current and relevant today. While the original film is a bit cheesy and disorganized, that actually makes it ideal for a modern remake.

The movie’s tension builds as the dangers of the new technology become more and more apparent, particularly after a scientist tragically dies of a heart attack and records it. This recording becomes central to the story, culminating in a strange and almost religious climax where Christopher Walken’s character vicariously experiences his coworker’s death and journey into the afterlife.

The movie Brainstorm still has a lot of promise. A modern remake could fix the original’s confusing plot while keeping its interesting ideas and connecting them to today’s questions about the relationship between our brains, bodies, and technology. A TV series format would allow for a broader range of characters, unlike the original film which primarily focused on Christopher Walken and Natalie Wood.

Jagged Edge

Directed By Richard Marquand; Written By Joe Esterhas; Starring Glenn Close, Jeff Bridges & More; Released In 1985

Jagged Edge is a gripping but often overlooked legal thriller from the mid-1980s. Glenn Close stars as Teddy Barnes, a lawyer defending a man, played by Jeff Bridges, who is accused of murdering his wife. Surprisingly, Bridges plays the villain, and while it seems unclear at first, the film eventually reveals he is actually guilty.

Glenn Close delivers a breakout performance as Barnes, convincingly defending her client, only to be forced to kill him when he viciously attacks her. While the ending is powerfully dramatic, Jagged Edge is most remembered for a particularly unsettling scene that occurs right before the film’s major twist is revealed.

The film Jagged Edge brilliantly highlights weaknesses in the legal system, particularly in a scene where District Attorney Thomas Krasney (played by Peter Coyote) clearly explains Forrester’s murder plot to the judge and Barnes, only to have his evidence thrown out on a technicality. This enduring theme makes the movie ripe for a modern retelling.

No Way Out

Directed By Roger Donaldson; Written By Robert Garland; Starring Kevin Costner, Sean Young, Gene Hackman, & Will Patton; Released In 1987

Beginning as a love story and evolving into a suspenseful spy thriller, No Way Out is known for its surprising and memorable twist ending. The film follows a Navy officer, portrayed by Kevin Costner, who is wrongly accused of being a Russian spy and forced to flee. While he ultimately proves his innocence, the movie still delivers a shocking twist that most viewers don’t anticipate.

The film cleverly conceals the real identity of “Yuri,” the mysterious Soviet agent, until the very end when all the pieces fall into place. However, the movie intentionally leaves some questions unanswered, providing ample opportunity for a more detailed television adaptation to explore those loose ends.

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2026-01-15 16:03