Celebrities

3 questions we have about Lifetime’s ‘Beaches’ remake

It was announced Thursday (July 28) that Lifetime has greenlit a remake of the 1988 tearjerker “Beaches.” Entertainment Weekly reports that Idina Menzel will step into the role made famous by Bette Midler in the original. The remake will also feature “new takes” on original music “Wind Beneath My Wings” and “The Glory of Love.”

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Upon hearing the news, we couldn’t help but wonder, “Why?!” Specifically, three big whys.

Why is Lifetime remaking ‘Beaches’?

Look, obviously the 2010s are becoming known for reboots, remakes and revivals, but … are they always necessary? “Beaches” is kind of a classic — a familiar, worn-out blanket from the 1980s that you cover up with and have a good cry in. There’s no reason to update it.

If Lifetime wants to make a TV movie starring Idina Menzel that has music, why not come up with some kind of original property? Or adapt something that hasn’t been made into a movie, like “Cats.” How awesome would Menzel be belting out “Memory”?! Or what about “Next to Normal,” a musical that bluntly and brashly examines mental illness? That sounds right up Lifetime’s alley. Or “Miss Saigon,” a beautiful and heartbreaking musical about fall of the U.S. embassy in Saigon during the Vietnam war. Menzel would kill the role of Ellen.

Why is Idina Menzel involved?

Sure, Lifetime is sort of stepping up its game with things like “And Then There Were None” and “UnReal,” but … it’s still the home of things like “The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story” and the “Mother, May I Sleep With Danger” remake that inserted vampires into the narrative.

Idina Menzel is a three-time Tony Award nominee (with one win, for “Wicked”) who has been starring on Broadway on and off for 20 years. She’s also part of one of Disney’s biggest hits in “Frozen,” a sequel for which is being developed. Why is she doing a Lifetime remake of “Beaches”? Does she just really want to sing “Otto Titsling”?

Why isn’t Mayim Bialik involved?

If you’re going to insist on remaking “Beaches,” why would you not ask Mayim Bialik to play Cecilia “C.C.” Bloom, since Bialik played young C.C. in the original movie? That just seems like a no-brainer.