Sometimes, a remake or reboot of a film gives so much more than just a fresh storyline, it also presents actors who absolutely steal the show this time around. These actors do not only step into some of the iconic roles but own them, making one forget others ever played that part. 

From turning skeptics into their fans by playing these characters so well, they even managed to outrun the old favorites who got lost behind. 

In the movie The Dark Knight, 2008, Heath Ledger stepped into the socks of the Joker and made it his own. He cemented the Joker as a character that no one would forget in Hollywood. All this came from his brilliant portrayal of the Joker, which was an output of Ledger's intense preparation and still stands out to date. He was so good that Ledger's Joker set the benchmark for Joker and other comic villains on screen, leaving behind all other Joker actors.

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When you look back at John Carpenter's horror masterpiece, The Thing, the one performance that will simply stand out is that of Kurt Russell as the helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady. He nailed the character's assertiveness by giving a heavy yet subtle performance that captured the fear as they faced the unknown horror among them. His strength shined through as he brought MacReady's character to life on-screen, making his presence the star over any of the others. 

Brendan Fraser, coming into the role of Rick O'Connell in The Mummy, changed the scene for the movie, making it so successful it had sequels lining up. His casting brought a strong masculine presence to the role, adding much-needed flavor and appeal, along with a bit of sly humor that made him an action-hero classic. His performance turned the classic horror into a fun action spectacle that earned him all the praise and even placed him among one of Hollywood's top actors. 

In the Ocean's Eleven 2001 remake, George Clooney took over the reins of Danny Ocean from Frank Sinatra and made him a cool character. Clooney not only gave justice to the Sinatra original, but made it better by bringing in this relaxed, cool modern charm that made this role his own and a fan-favorite. Not only his solo performance, but the chemistry he shared with both Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts kept the film attractive, holding the audience’s attention from start to end. 

Now, this one was a tricky masterpiece, that Daniel Craig pulled off, as when news came out that he was to star as the new James Bond for Casino Royale in 2006 among other auditions that included Henry Cavill, many fans did not see it as fitting. But boy were they wrong, for Craig delivered a gritter, stronger, emotional, and more complex 007 perfectly, leaving fans in awe. Daniel Craig not only did justice to the famous predecessors of the film but found a way to mark his spot in the James Bond legacy. And after 70 years of this James Bond classic, Matthew Vaughn recently revealed why Henry Cavill did not make the cut. The reasons being said now make little to no difference as Daniel Craig nailed his crack at James Bond, marking him as one of the top James Bond's fans to date. 

Al Pacino's role in the 1983 Scarface burst onto the screens and turned into an iconic role. Unlike its original 1932 version, which starred an Italian-American hero, this one surely hit the top of the charts. Pacino's Tony Montana in the movie soon became a memorable one. His intense acting capturing all the angry outbursts and fierce drive of the character left no room for error, making him the king of the film, completely overshadowing the predecessor. 

Michael Fassbender, on entering the X-Men universe with the X-Men: First Class, as Magneto gave the character a much-needed fresh intensity. Fassbender's Magneto was a much more deep and complex character. And Fassbender's ability to play this inner conflict of the character with the charm that he owned made his performance iconic. 

When Steve Martin was to play George Banks in the 1991 remake of Father of the Bride, he starred as a father who was not pleased about his daughter Annie's marriage. In comparison to the original portrayal by Spencer Tracy in the 1950s, Martin added a dash of fresh humor to the character, making it more entertaining and more relatable to the audience. Martin did keep the good old memory of the original continuing, but he created this charming aura that related even to the modern youth, making his character even better than the older one. 

Andy Serkis came in as Caesar in the Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and he left behind a brilliant performance that literally brought Caesar, a digital ape, to life. Serkis was able to bring emotion and intelligence to Caesar with his gestures and expressions, taking the realness of the character to a level that no one had seen before. This became a crucial moment for him and the success of the reboot of Planet of the Apes.

In the 2012 film Dredd, Karl Urban took up the role of Judge Dredd, and did not fail to bring a performance that landed perfectly with the audience. Unlike Sylvester Stallone's 1995 version, Urban's Dredd portrayed a no-nonsense law enforcer, a role Urban authentically captured, surpassing his predecessor.

From bold performances to surprising new transformations, the remakes and reboots became these actors' stages, proving that in some cases, the second act can be just as good or even better than the first.

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Did your favorite actor make the list? Or did someone else steal the show in a reboot? Let us know in the comments!