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‘La Cage aux Folles’ film: Edouard Molinaro international box office hit (photo: Ugo Tognazzi and Michel Serrault in ‘La Cage aux Folles’) (See previous post: “‘La Cage aux Folles’ Director Edouard Molinaro Dead at 85.”) But Edouard Molinaro’s best-known effort — comedy or otherwise — remains La Cage aux Folles (approximate translation: "The Cage of the Queens"), which sold 5.4 million tickets when it came out in France in 1978. Perhaps because many saw it as a letdown when compared to Jean Poiret’s immensely popular 1973 play, Molinaro’s movie ended up nominated for a single César Award — for eventual Best Actor winner Michel Serrault. Somewhat surprisingly, in the next couple of years La Cage aux Folles would become a major hit in the United States and other countries. Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the U.S. in 1979, the film grossed $20.42 million at the North American box office — or about $65 million in 2013 dollars, a remarkable sum for a subtitled release.

The tough part of remaking a movie is in the casting, finding someone who can both recapture what made the original performance work and still bring something the audience can't find in the original. In the looks department, sometimes these actors have big shoes to fill and sometimes their good looks is something new about the character. Here are some of our favorites:

Kenny Wormald, Footloose

Kevin Bacon brought a lot to the original Footloose, a mix of idealism, youthful swagger and an ability to move in a way that perfectly conveyed the feeling of freedom that comes when you're dancing. Kenny Wormald certainly has the potential to live up to Bacon's performance, with his boy-next-door looks, glare of teenage rebellion and hint of adorkable (that tie!). We'll find out for sure this weekend, when Footloose hits theaters.

David Tennant, Fright Night

We expected Colin Farrell to bring the sexiness to Fright Night.