In 2000, a freak accident gave Mel Gibson the power to read women’s minds, in What Women Want. Fast forward 19 years later, and it’s Taraji P. Henson, in your Sunday night movie What Men Want, who gains the same ability, but with men.
It’s not the first time characters have undergone a sex change, thanks to the writer’s pen. And it’s not the last. A remake of Splash was announced earlier this year, with Channing Tatum taking over the role that made Daryl Hannah such a sensation in 1984.
On the series side – and we’re really excited about this one – there’s an adaptation of High Fidelity in the works. Originally a novel by Nick Hornby, it was adapted into a movie in 2000. The main character remained male, but changed from English to American. Now, the TV series will see the protagonist as a woman. And the best bit is that the part will be played by Zoë Kravitz whose mother, Lisa Bonet, starred as the love interest in the movie.
Before we roll on the floor laughing with the fabulous Henson in What Men Want, let’s look at more gender benders in film and television.
- James Bond (1995 – 2015)
While 007 himself remains pretty much the same as always, other characters have undergone transformations – most notably, M: Bond’s indefatigable first-in-command. In the Eon film series, the character was originated by Bernard Lee and followed by Robert Brown. For the seventeenth Bond film, GoldenEye, a new M took office: a woman. Cool, calm, and in command the great Dame Judi Dench nailed the role.
MORE HERE: The next James Bond.
- Battlestar Galactica (2004 – 2009)
This sci-fi series started its life in 1978. In 2004, it was rebooted and the roles of Starbuck and Boomer were not only reimagined, but recast as women. Initially there was an outcry from fans, but with two incredible actresses in the roles – Katee Sackoff and Grace Park, respectively – fans soon swallowed their words.
MORE HERE: Ten TV space adventures.
- Salt (2010)
Not only was the role of the spy Evelyn Salt originally written as a man, the part was filled by none other than does-all-his-own-crazy-stunts, action man Tom Cruise. The actor eventually pulled out, and instead of finding another man, they chose to cast Angelina Jolie. Having already starred in Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Wanted, as well as two Tomb Raider films, Ms. Jolie had more than proven her action chops.
MORE HERE: Ten best movie spies and secret agents.
- The Tempest (2010)
Back in Shakespeare’s day men took on the parts of women all the time; so it seems only fitting and fair that in the 21st century, the main character was not only played by a woman, but changed to a woman too. Helen Mirren took on the role of Prospero (Prospera in this version) in an adaptation by Julie Taymor, who had already brought her awesome vision to Shakespeare in 1999, with her adaptation of Titus Andronicus.
MORE HERE: Ten Shakespearean adaptations.
- Elementary (2012 – 2019)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes has been reincarnated on the screen time and time again. Elementary cast Jonny Lee Miller as the famous literary detective and set its story in contemporary times. This was hardly anything new, seeing as the Benedict Cumberbatch-starring Sherlock already did it two years earlier. What set Elementary apart, was its casting of Watson as an American and a woman. Played by Lucy Lui, the show ran for seven seasons.
MORE HERE: Watch Elementary season 7.
- Doctor Strange (2016)
Speaking of Cumberbatch, his Marvel outing also featured a gender bender in the form of the Ancient One. In the comic books, the character is male, but was switched to female – with Tilda Swinton taking on the role – for the feature film. Although the gender-swap was laudable, the film made a major faux pas by whitewashing the part.
MORE HERE: Why we love Benedict Cumberbatch.
- Ghostbusters (2016)
The story in this reboot of the 1984 comedy is essentially the same, but the title characters are different – and all female, instead of all male. However, the film was beset with fans’ ire at the idea of a reboot and bombed at the box office. Instead of a sequel, the next film will follow the original films. Rather than focusing on an all-male or all-female cast, it has a young girl and boy in the lead.
MORE HERE: Eight best ghost comedies.
- Ocean’s 8 (2018)
There is an all-female cast in this all-heist and all-action film, but it’s not a remake or reboot nor does it replace any of the original male characters. Instead, star Sandra Bullock plays Debbie Ocean, sister to George Clooney’s Danny. The all-star eight is rounded out by Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, and Awkwafina.
Watch Taraji P. Henson read men’s minds in What Men Want, your Sunday night movie on 29 September at 20:30 on M-Net channel 101 or on Saturday 5 October at 20:30 on M-Net Movies Premiere channel 104.