Most of the best stories were written hundreds, even thousands of years ago, including all the "original" stories of the movies they are remaking. But writers with talent and skill can and do breathe new life into them.
The reason Hollywood remakes movies is NOT because the best stories have been written, but because there is less risk in producing a presold product.
Someone said, “There are only 7 basic stories”, or some such number. Poe was accused of it but it probably was someone else.
Indeed, just how original can one be with so many stories out there?
You made my post for me! I wonder if people told Virgil the same thing but he blew them off. I’ll just knock off Homer and call it the Aeneid!
There are still lots of great stories to tell, but risk aversion and PC are killing movies.