Reinventing their world-famous Monsterverse has been a high-priority for Universal since 2015. However, it looked to be in jeopardy following the failure of 2017’s blockbuster The Mummy. Following a pivot to smaller budgets and a greater-focus on the horror elements, things seemed back on-track with the enormous success of 2020’s The Invisible Man.
Following that, we’ve had several projects from the legendary Monsterverse take flight, including Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride, Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man, and The Invisible Woman, to be helmed by Elizabeth Banks.
Now, horror maestro James Wan is tossing his hat into the ring, as he undertakes a 1950’s monster movie classic for the studio.
1954’s Creature from the Black Lagoon told the story of a team of researchers who uncover prehistoric life within the depths of the Amazon. Soon, they find themselves confronted by Gil Man, a piscine amphibious humanoid, determined to protect its territory. The classic, directed by Jack Arnold and presented in 3-D, became an instant hit, and spawned two sequels.
Under his Atomic Monster banner, James Wan intends to remake Creature, as well as producing alongside Michael Clear, Judson Scott, and Jay Polidoro. Said to be “a grounded and modernised retelling,” Wan will focus on “visceral horror while paying respect to the original classic.”
Little else is known about the project, but it’s likely a script is currently in the works, we just don’t know by whom.
Creature will be the first genre project Wan has directed since 2021’s Malignant, however he has been a prolific genre producer in the intervening years.
We look forward to Wan’s return, and will bring you any further details on this reboot as soon as we have them.
