Movie Odds: The Next Horror “Resurrections”

Modern horror movies are setting the bar extremely high and it appears we are witnessing a renaissance of the genre. Yet, there is still an appetite to look to the past for ideas and that’s not entirely a bad thing.

God knows there is a lot of campy and cheesy material out there when it comes to horror movies but there are also a lot of great ideas that either weren’t executed properly or just didn’t connect with audiences at the time.

A remake or reboot can expand on those fantastic storylines and, with the right kind of budget and direction, the possibilities are endless.

This year brings a number of horror remakes, including IT, Flatliners, I Know What You Did Last Summer and more. As I did last year, I’m going back in time to predict what horror films from the past could be resurrected from the dead for a remake in the next five years. Below are some that are rumored to be getting a facelift along with a few more that are wishful thinking.

Horror Movies: Odds To Be Remade in the Next Five Years

The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954): 1/3

Now that Universal Pictures is starting their Dark Universe films, remaking all their monster movies from the past like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Mummy, and Frankenstein, I hope there’s room for an amphibious creature.

The Gill-Man was never a scary monster and the original film was extremely cheesy. With the right kind of love and state-of-the-art CGI, this could actually be one of the more original remakes to grace the Monster’verse.

At one point there were rumors that Scarlett Johansson was connected to a remake attempt but that idea sunk to the bottom of the lagoon. Now there are rumors that Will Beall, the scripter of Aquaman, has been hired to pen this creature feature. Will this remake bubble to the surface? My guess is yes.

Pet Sematary (1989):  2/3

Stephen King adaptations are being made and remade, so you know at some point one of his best “pure horror” books (and its 1989 film adaptation) will get another retelling.

For the last three years, there have been rumors that Paramount Pictures is interested in the project, and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later) is on board to direct a script he wrote with Jeff Buhler. Yet it’s still sitting in purgatory.

Just like that dead cat in the book, this reboot has been buried but will rise from the grave in the next few years and should be even scarier than the original.

The Orphanage (2007): 1/1

This 2007 Spanish horror film about an orphanage with a dark past was produced by the visionary Guillermo del Toro and directed by J.A. Bayona. It’s actually quite surprising that nobody has made an English adaptation for the heathens who refuse to read subtitles.

There was some buzz back in 2008 about a remake with Amy Adams, but that never came to fruition. Studios aren’t quick to give up on good ideas, though, so eventually some studio will take this orphan home to a loving audience.

Shivers (1975): 4/1

Remaking a David Cronenberg classic is risky business. Back in 2013, there was some talk that Danish filmmaker Rie Rasmussen had signed on to remake Cronenberg’s 1975 film Shivers but someone must have gotten cold feet as it appears the remake is on ice.

The original film, which has many different titles (Orgy of the Blood Parasites, The Parasite Murders, They Came From Within and Frissons) is about a mad scientist who develops a parasite that is one part aphrodisiac and one part venereal disease. When someone is infected, they become VD-ridden nymphomaniac hell-bent on having sex and passing on the parasite.

Don’t Look Now (1973): 9/1

Donald Sutherland thinks a remake is complete bollocks, but the 1973 horror film about a couple struggling to deal with the accidental death of their young daughter has been rumored to be getting a facelift.

French company StudioCanal has reportedly been sniffing around the possibility of bringing a more modern update to audiences. No director or actors are attached, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see this 1970s gem get remade at some point in the near future.

The Gate (1987): 9/1

The original, which starred a young Stephen Dorff, was about a bunch of kids and their fight against demons unleashed from an unusual gate found in a hole in the backyard. The kids learn the truth about the tiny demons from a metal record which is actually a demonic tome called “The Dark Book.”

Alex Winter, yes the guy who played Bill S. Preston in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, has been interested in directing a remake, possibly in 3D. But that news is so 2009 and it appears the idea has been put back into the developmental hole in the backyard. Will it finally be released upon the cinematic world?

The Monster Squad (1987): 25/1

No! There is no reason to remake this classic 80s film. It’s one of my all time Halloween favorites and I will not stand for a half-hearted money grab of a remake. Well, apparently Monster Squad writer and now kickass director Shane Black says that a remake is not in the cards (phewf), but that a sequel could be fun (okay!). It might be a long shot, but never underestimate the power of 80s nostalgia.

Curse of the Demon (1957): 25/1

This 1957 British horror film about an American psychologist investigating a satanic cult suspected of more than one murder is ripe for a remake. Although there have been a few rumors over the years about directors wanting to give the classic a fresh reboot, those rumors have failed to become reality. Instead, the film remains in black and white as one of the greatest horror films ever made. At some point someone is going to revisit this idea, but probably not in the next five years.

The Wraith (1986): 50/1

This is The Fast and the Furious but with dead people. The Wraith tells the story of a murdered Arizona teen who returns from the dead as an all-powerful street racing wraith with one thing on his mind: revenge!

Given modern audiences’ love affair with fast cars and horror films, this seems like great fodder for a remake. The original starred a young Charlie Sheen and has a cult following that grew over the years.

The Lair of the White Worm (1988): 50/1

This is one of those extremely trippy films full of crazy visuals and extreme campiness. It’s a must-see for every stoner and is based loosely on the book by Bram Stoker.

Based upon the English legend of the Lambton Worm, the original looks and feels very much like a grindhouse sexploitation flick. Psychedelic head trips are all the rage right now and this wouldn’t even need a huge budget. A remake has director Werner Herzog written all over it.