Rain Man is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. Along with an uplifting storyline, the 1988 offering from Barry Levinson featured memorable scenes and an Academy award-winning performance from Dustin Hoffman. With streaming platforms regularly looking to remake old classics as series for the smaller screen, does Rain Man have the potential for this form of adaptation?
Many Classic Movies Being Remade as Series
The rise of streaming platforms has brought about a race for content as Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max and Disney+ all tussle for supremacy. Producers have had to employ new techniques when thinking of what could become an instant hit among viewers. This has led to expanding on popular franchises and remaking classic films as television series.
The list of much-loved movies that have become TV shows is endless with some being hugely successful, while others have failed to take off. Some of the best adaptations have included Hannibal, Bates Motel, and Westworld, whereas, some of the misses include From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Taken, and Snatch.
Casino Scene Would Appeal to Growing Gambling Market
One of the reasons that Rain Man would be well received by modern television audiences is because it has one of the most iconic gambling scenes in cinema history. The interest in this area has only grown since the film came out as the intervening period has seen the online casino industry become a behemoth. Consumers have such a wide range of options to choose from that it can be hard to find the best value, so aggregators like Bonusfinder rank sites by various factors such as bonuses to provide an objective judgement. As a result of this players can find casino bonuses suited to them easily as they explore games such as blackjack. The increase in interest in this area means that the intricacies of the famous scene from Rain Man are probably better understood now by the general audience than when it came out.
So how realistic is the blackjack scene from Rain Man? As you may remember, Hoffman’s Raymond went on an incredible winning streak and made more than $85,000. This is certainly possible, but it would require a lot of luck. Raymond also does a few things that are ill-advised among expert players of the game, such as hitting on an 18. This is a suboptimal play unless you know what card is going to be drawn, and it is a red flag for dealers who would be suspicious of someone on such a great run.
Could be Best to Preserve the Film’s Memory
Rain Man won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Picture at the 61st Academy Awards. It’s the only film in history to have earned both accolades. Some would say that the film is perfect as it is, and to reboot it in any way could end up tainting its memory. Others would enjoy seeing the story take place in another medium. However, careful consideration would need to go into casting, as Hoffman and Tom Cruise would be tough acts to follow.
Rain Man would certainly work as a series, and it would allow the writers to delve further into the complexity of the characters. However, it would be incredibly hard to top the original, and this may serve as a deterrent for writers and producers.
