Horror legend James Wan (The Conjuring, Insidious, Malignant) is set to direct a remake of the 1954 Universal Monster classic Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Hollywood Reporter reveal today.
According to THR, Wan and his collaborators presented Universal with a pitch to remake Jack Arnold's original, with the studio now on the hunt for a writer.
Creature from the Black Lagoon will be the first project directed by Wan since his production company Atomic Monster merged with horror titans Blumhouse last year.
In the seminal 3D black-and-white original, a group of scientists encounter a mysterious amphibious humanoid in the waters of the Amazon; the Creature, also known as the Gill-man (played by both Ben Chapman and Ricou Browning), who has become an icon of horror alongside his Universal colleagues Dracula and Frankenstein(‘s monster).
THR describes Wan's take as “a grounded, modernized retelling that will lean into visceral horror, while still paying respect to the original.”
THR also let us know that Wan will act as a producer on Creature, while Atomic Monster’s Michael Clear and Judson Scott serve as executive producers.
Over the years, many attempts have been made to reboot or remake the classic monster tale, with even the horror master himself, John Carpenter, attached for a remake back in 1992. Famously, Guillermo del Toro's Oscar-winning The Shape of Water originally started life as a Creature remake.
That's all the news we have on James Wan's Creature from the Black Lagoon for now – but best believe we're watching this project very closely and will bring you updates as they come swimming in.
