In a somewhat surprising announcement, it was revealed in June 2024 that the underrated sci-fi film Enemy Mine was getting a remake that aimed to rectify many of the mistakes of the original. While little is known about the developing project, the screenplay is set to be written by prolific TV scribe and director Terry Matalas who recently oversaw the third season of Star Trek: Picard. Matalas is not currently attached to direct the film, but no name has been offered to fill that role quite yet.
With nothing currently known about the remake's approach to Barry B. Longyear's original story, it's impossible to guess exactly how the movie will be received. On the other hand, the Enemy Mine remake has the opportunity to separate itself from other notable sci-fi remakes because it could reach an audience who has no expectations because they likely haven't seen the original.
With Terry Matalas hard at work penning the script for the remake of Enemy Mine, it's unknown exactly what the story will be. However, since it is a remake, it's assumed that it will utilize a similar framework as the original and follows human pilot Willis as he finds himself trapped on an alien world with Shigan, a member of an enemy alien race that is his sworn enemy. Everything else is somewhat murky, though the themes of cooperation and trust will also likely be preserved because it is the heart of Barry B. Longyear's original novella.
It's also worth noting that Longyear penned additional stories that serve as sequels to Enemy Mine, and the upcoming remake could work certain details into the plot to usher in a new franchise. His follow-ups, The Tomorrow Testament and The Last Enemy flesh out the larger war between the humans and the Drac, and by including those details, the Enemy Mine remake could improve upon its predecessor.
