re: .

I'd say the reasoning behind this is pretty simple. Public opinion/ Knowledge.

If you want to remake, say Terminator, well everyone knows and loves it so of course they'll go see it again. It was a box office success once, and that means it will be again.

Remaking Battlefield Earth which sucked and made no money, would garner no interest at all, even if it was done correctly. Doing it this way would require a MASSIVE pr battle out front just to get the new film onto a level surface.

Everything in Hollywood is money, so if something doesn't make sense to you, think about how things make sense financially and you'll understand.