Twin Films: When Hollywood Made the Same Movie Twice

Twin films are two movies with the same premise, from two different studios, released months apart. It happens more often than it should. Scripts get shopped to every studio in town. Executives change jobs and take ideas with them. Sometimes two writers just read the same newspaper.

It always ends in the same fight: who gets to theaters first, and who gets remembered.

Here are eight of the best.

K-9 vs. Turner & Hooch (1989)

The premise: A cop gets a dog for a partner. The dog is not a good partner.

K-9 got there first, in April, with James Belushi and a German shepherd. Turner & Hooch followed in July with Tom Hanks and a drooling French mastiff, and made $71 million in the US.

Verdict: Both made money. K-9 got the sequels. Hooch got Tom Hanks.

Tombstone vs. Wyatt Earp (1993–94)

The premise: The O.K. Corral. Again.

Kevin Costner was attached to Tombstone, walked, and made his own version. Tombstone opened on Christmas Day 1993, cost $25 million and made $56.5 million. Wyatt Earp arrived six months later, ran over three hours, cost $63 million and made $25 million.

Verdict: Tombstone. It wasn't close.

Dante's Peak vs. Volcano (1997)

The premise: A volcano wakes up. Nobody listens to the expert.

Dante's Peak sped up production to beat Fox and opened February 7: a small mountain town, Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton. Volcano put the lava in downtown Los Angeles in April. Dante's Peak made $178 million worldwide. Volcano made about $122 million on a $90 million budget.

Verdict: Dante's Peak on the scoreboard. Volcano has Tommy Lee Jones directing traffic around lava. People still argue about it.

Deep Impact vs. Armageddon (1998)

The premise: Something large is about to hit the Earth.

Deep Impact came first, in May: a comet, a year of warning, Morgan Freeman at the podium, an $80 million budget. It made $349 million. Armageddon arrived in July with oil drillers, Aerosmith and a $140 million budget. It made $554 million and finished as the biggest movie of 1998 worldwide.

Verdict: Armageddon took the money. Deep Impact took the science advisors. Both end with someone staying behind.

Antz vs. A Bug's Life (1998)

The premise: One misfit ant against the colony.

This one became a public feud between DreamWorks and Pixar. Antz opened first, in October, with Woody Allen as a neurotic worker ant. A Bug's Life followed at Thanksgiving and made $363 million worldwide, more than double Antz's $172 million.

Verdict: A Bug's Life. Pixar was just getting started.

The Truman Show vs. EDtv (1998–99)

The premise: One man's entire life, broadcast as television.

The Truman Show opened in June 1998 and made $264 million worldwide. EDtv, Ron Howard's comedy take with Matthew McConaughey, came nine months later, cost $80 million and made $35 million.

Verdict: Truman. Reality TV happened anyway.

The Illusionist vs. The Prestige (2006)

The premise: A stage magician in the 1800s. A trick nobody can explain.

The Illusionist opened in August on a $16.5 million budget and quietly made $88 million. The Prestige followed in October with Christopher Nolan, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, and made $110 million.

Verdict: The Prestige at the box office. The Illusionist on return on investment.

Olympus Has Fallen vs. White House Down (2013)

The premise: Terrorists take the White House. One man is inside.

Olympus Has Fallen got there in March, cost $70 million and made $170 million. White House Down came in June with Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx and a $150 million budget. It made more, at $205 million, and still lost.

Verdict: Olympus. It got two sequels.

So who wins?

Going first helps: Tombstone, Dante's Peak, The Truman Show and Olympus all got there first and won. It is not a rule. Armageddon, A Bug's Life and The Prestige all came second and won anyway.