Remakes and such

The screenwriter does not have any rights. They are not the legal author. The studio/prodco is/are. You must seek them out and ask them.

A hint: your interest may make them think there is value in the project, so by asking you will be creating a "no."

Be prepared to figure out what it is about that movie that you like, and write an original with the same themes.

I love that movie! It'd be awesome to see it remade with today's technology. It's a shame you can't just rewrite an older movie and then show it to the studio/producer who owns it to see if they like it. I've always wanted to do one of the Amityville movies. Making it my own just wouldn't be the same.

Now if you want to write a remake, you can only pitch it to Universal. Kinda limits your choices and chances.

But why write specifically a remake? There was a Canadian film with the same title in 1999.

You can write a script titled Rollercoaster (or something similar) with a similar premise as the 70's film without any major issues. Just be creative and don't use any names from the original film, dont use the same plot structure and don't go around telling anyone it's a remake.

Just write the best script you can and shop it around as a spec. If you sell it and anyone has any legal issues, let the lawyers work it out.

A good script and concept is a good script regardless.

I think it can be marketable.

In fact, I can see "Roller Coaster" meets "Speed." If the ride stops the coaster goes BOOM. A lone cop must figure out who the terrorist is before the coaster must stop because bolts start popping off after 20 straight hours on the ride. At the same time, his bomb squad trained partner plans an elaborate stunt to get on the moving coaster to diffuse the bomb. All this in front of news crews and of course the 100 frantic people on the ride.