So, "Titanic Bel Araby" was a bit of a fail, but that doesn't mean Arab directors should stop trying.
Here's how think 5 popular Hollywood films should be "Arabized."
1. "Al Rajol el Watwat" (Batman)
Bashir Wahed's (Ahmed El Sakka) life changes forever when he witnesses his wealthy parents, owners' of Wahed Enterprises, murdered in cold blood in a Cairo alleyway. He runs away from his life of privilege in the Zamalek neighborhood of Egypt.
Bashir finds himself training with the League of Assasins, where he overcomes his fear and transforms into a skilled fighter. He flees the league and returns home to Cairo, taking the reins of Wahed Enterprises. But, he feels the need to defend his city against mounting crime and terrorism. He goes on to craft the superhero persona Al Rajol el Watwat and combats some of the toughest terrorists the Arab world has ever seen. He reconnects with his childhood friend, Raquel Daou (Jowy Khoury), who now is a prominent lawyer, and a romantic interest rekindles. Still, Wahed's toughest battle will come when he faces off with The Joker, a terrorist that wants to raze Cairo to the ground.
2. "Al Gatsby Elaazim" (The Great Gatsby)
Moe Mukhtalif (Rami Malek) moves from the United States to a small villa on a secluded edge of the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, having abandoned his ambitions of writing and hoping to get rich while reconnecting with his Arab heritage.
He quickly becomes acquainted with his eccentric neighbor Joe Gatsby (Youssef El Khal), who throws lavish weekend parties at his massive mansion. Gatsby eventually confesses his love for Moe's cousin Daisy Bou Khalil (Mona Zaki) and Moe discovers that the weekend parties are thrown in hopes of attracting Daisy's attention. But, as is too often the case with love, and to borrow from Shakespeare, "the course of true love never did run smooth."
3. "Alaab Aljuaa" (The Hunger Games)
In a distant and unknown future, the Arab world is united, but it's not quite a peaceful coexistence. Every year, the capitol requires each of the Arab districts (except the capitol) to send two young people (one male and one female) as tributes for Alaab Aljuaa. All the tributes fight to the death in a televised arena, as the Arab world watches. It reminds them of the civil wars of the 21st century they read about in their history books.
The plot centers around Katniss (Donia Samer Ghanem), who is selected to represent her district alongside Beeta (Mohammed Assaf). Katniss fosters a fake romance with her fellow tribute, in an effort to win the audiences approval. But back home, her longtime close friend Ghali ( Elias Zayek ) is getting jealous.
4. "Al Kebreyaa wal Ta'assub" (Pride and Prejudice)
The film centers around the complex romance between Abeer Benayoun (Nesreen Tafeesh) and Fadi Abdullah Darbé (Taim Hasan). It draws on the aesthetic motifs of Bab el Hara.
Set in the late 18th century, Abeer lives in rural Syria with her parents and four sisters. While the family is able to make ends meet, they are not wealthy. Her mother is anxious to marry off all five of her daughters before father dies. Abeer meets Mr. Darbé, who comes from a wealthy land-owning family, and takes an immediate dislike to his cold and unfriendly demeanor. "Dammo t2eel," she can frequently be heard saying about Mr. Darbé Nonetheless, an unusual and complicated love story begins.
5. "Sarii w Ghadeb" (Fast and Furious)
Dawud Turki (Mohamed Ramadan) is a former convict who now runs an elite street racing team on the highways of Lebanon. It's not difficult for him to recruit people given that nearly everyone on Lebanon's highways drives like they are trying to qualify for the Formula 1.
Layali Omari ( Haifa Wehbe ) is a member of his crew and a love interest of Dawud. Buotros Khalid (Khaled Abol Naga) is an undercover police officer working with the General Security to bust Dawud's criminal gang, which steals trucks containing Samsung and Apple products. Befriending Dawud and falling for his younger sister, Buotros ends up helping Dawud and his team escape the authorities.
