By MICHAEL GINGOLD
A reboot of the classic ’50s monster movie, which has been discussed for decades, now looks closer to happening.
Deadline reports that James Wan is in discussions to direct a new CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON for Universal. It would be his first directorial outing since his Atomic Monster company merged with Blumhouse. His version of CREATURE is described as “a grounded modernized retelling that leans into visceral horror while paying respect to the original classic.”
The initial CREATURE came out in 1954 and joined the pantheon of classic Universal monsters, spawning two sequels and numerous imitations. A remake has been mooted since 1982, when John Landis was going to produce with original director Jack Arnold at the helm, a script by Nigel Kneale and the title beast created by Chris Walas. A decade later, John Carpenter, Rick Baker and CHRISTINE scripter Bill Phillips were involved with a redux, and other filmmakers offered or attached to the project since have included Peter Jackson, Ivan Reitman, Gary Ross (whose father Arthur A. Ross co-wrote the ’54 movie), Guillermo del Toro (who went on to create his own aquatic humanoid in THE SHAPE OF WATER), Breck Eisner and screenwriters David Kajganich (SUSPIRIA, THE TERROR) and Will Beall. We’ll see if this one finally makes it to the screen…
