Movies that could use an all-female version
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Since "Bridesmaids" until "Wonder Woman", movies with an all-female cast or lead has grown from obscurity to the new box office strategy. As Hollywood is finding more movies of empowered female characters, gender-swapping has become the shorthand method for now, which also gives screenwriters and producers to re-examine the traditionally male dominated stories from a fresh and feminine perspective. While not all of these attempts have come out with female characters that are at the very least a compelling female counterpart (sorry, "Ghostbusters"), they are a sign of the times of what's happening in Hollywood today. With more women seeking to change Hollywood, they are opening up new platforms for stories of women to matter and become the stars of their own stories.
With "Ocean's 8" (and hopefully more to complete a new trilogy) bringing the best of the best actresses working in Hollywood today, we look back at some of the masculine movies that could be retold with a feminine touch.
The Expendables
In many ways "The Expendables" was the "Ocean's 11" for the macho action stars. The all-female formula has already worked its way from comedy, and now into the exciting heist film, it seems to be only a matter of time when it goes to action. Hollywood already has plenty of female action stars, and we have only been waiting to see all of them together in the same screen (hopefully without the catchy one-liners). A female version of "The Expendables" has already been in the works for years, tentatively titled "The Expendabelles", but if things don't work out, then the executives need to find a movie to put Charlize Theron, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lawrence, Hellen Mirren (she was in "Red", y'know), Gina Corano, Michelle Rodriguez, Gal Gadot, Milla Jovovich and Michelle Yeoh on the same screen, and we'll be paying to see it!
The Hangover
Seeing the Wolf Pack stumbling and screaming in an unknown exotic location sounds like a lot of fun, and even girls want to have fun too! We'll just set aside "Girls and Gangsters 2" from China that has already pretty much retold (ripped off) that story already, but we would like to see three lovable ladies dealing with the same problems that the Wolf Pack had to go through (tattoo on the face included!). We've already seen a few attempts at this trope (see "Girls Trip"), but we want to see a raw (R-rated) spinoff from "The Hangover" brand. Put some female comedians, some R-rated humour and a strong bond of sisterhood, and we are good to go *snaps fingers*.
The A-Team
We've already seen solo ladies in the spy genre, but we haven't really seen a serious team effort from the ladies in that category (except maybe "Charlie's Angels" which is way overdue for a sequel). And we aren't talking about having about a team of ladies supporting one main lead (ala "Mission: Impossible" or James Bond), we want a team of distinctive personalities and skills. Mix in a team of action stars, a sweet talker and a bad b***h with an attitude, and we are gonna pity the fool who didn't want to see it.
The Magnificent 7
The wild wild west may not be the best place for a lady (unless you are a prostitute or a little girl), but it's a setting that has been recently explored again with strong female characters. From "True Grit" to "Keeping Room", they have moulded a new myth that a woman can be no less vulnerable when they have to fend for themselves or trying to right a wrong when no man won't in the frontier. By drawing on these tropes of the new frontierswoman, you could make a compelling story of mercenary cowgirls, protecting a town with all the women wearing the pants (and carrying the gun).
Reservoir Dogs
If we are living in some strange universe where Quentin Tarantino decides to (re)make a film with an all-female cast, our pick would be for "Reservoir Dogs". While there are known attempts of this that is best left to obscurity (no, we won't tell you to go google "Reservoir Cats"), but we would like to see what it would look like if Tarantino used a female cast the same way he uses his male cast (and how they treat their counterparts). Tarantino has his fair share of strong women in his stories (balanced by some pretty meek ones too), so we are actually intrigued what if he puts together a cast of them. At the very least, we could use a new take on the conversation at the opening diner scene that is told from a women's point of view on the subtext of masculinity, and maybe even past the Bechdel Test?
