Hollywood has never been shy about borrowing a great idea. In fact, some of the movies audiences know and love began life in another language long before American studios stepped in with bigger budgets, familiar stars, and a fresh spin. Thrillers, comedies, horror films, and award-winning dramas have all made the journey across borders, sometimes becoming even more famous the second time around. Other times, the original still has fans insisting it did the job better. Either way, the stories behind these remakes are often just as interesting as the movies themselves. Keep reading to discover Hollywood hits with surprisingly international roots and see how many of these cinematic imports you recognized.
#1: El Secreto de Sus Ojos (2009) – The Secret in Their Eyes (2015)
Juan José Campanella’s El secreto de sus ojos arrived from Argentina in 2009 and soon became one of the country’s most celebrated films. Starring Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil, and Guillermo Francella, it won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010. The story follows a retired legal investigator who’s revisiting a decades-old case that still haunts him. Hollywood revisited the material in 2015 with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julia Roberts, and Nicole Kidman. The American version earned about $34 million worldwide, far below its estimated production budget, and received a much cooler critical response than its Oscar-winning predecessor.
