Molly Ringwald might’ve become a household name thanks to leading roles in John Hughes films like “Sixteen Candles” and “Pretty in Pink,” but the actor isn’t lobbying for remakes of the coming-of-age classics anytime soon — and she doesn’t think Hughes would be either.
“Well, they can’t be [remade] because they can’t be made without the permission of [the late] John Hughes, and he didn’t want the films to be remade,” Ringwald told People at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. “And I don’t think that they should be really.”
More from Variety
But that doesn’t mean Ringwald isn’t open to new interpretations of the stories at the center of the iconic films. The actor noted that of all Hughes’ films, the most relevant likely remains the 1985 cult-classic “The Breakfast Club.”
“I feel like if somebody does something, I would prefer that they do something … that takes from ‘[The] Breakfast Club’ and then builds on [it], and represents this generation’s issues rather than to try to recreate what was of a different time,” she said.
Ringwald also mentioned she still sees her former castmates from time to time: “I seem to see Jon Cryer the most, but I love them all. Annie — I love Annie Potts — and I see Andrew McCarthy from time to time … It’s hard to believe that it’s been 40 years [since ‘Pretty in Pink’ premiered],” she said.
Hughes’ films are widely considered to be defining works of the ‘80s. In 2009, the beloved filmmaker died of a heart attack at 59.
Ringwald was at Sundance for the premiere of her new film “Run Amok,” in which a 13-year-old high-school freshman, Meg, stages a musical reenactment of a shooting that took place 10 years earlier at the school.
Most recently, Ringwald appeared in films “Montauk,” “Pursued” and “The Kissing Booth,” and television shows including “Feud,” “Riverdale” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.