Hollywood’s penchant for remaking or rebooting familiar titles is nothing new. It is only however, in the past couple decades that it’s really kicked into high gear. Take for example, Universal’s current plan to reboot its famous line of monster movies. Films like The Wolfman and The Invisible Man are all classics of the genre, yet could very well benefit from a resurrection if the right people were involved.
Universal intends to kickoff its rebooted (Shared) Monsters Movie Universe with Alex Kurtzman’s The Mummy in 2016, followed by a new monster film every year after. One of those projects is going to be a Bride of Frankenstein reboot, and the movie has now taken one step forward on its way to starting production.
Variety has revealed that David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man) has signed on to write the Bride of Frankenstein reboot. Koepp’s work over the years speaks for itself and because of this, Bride of Frankenstein has every chance of delivering something familiar, yet unique too. The film is reportedly set in a modern day world, which could certainly provide an endless list of options for a tale of a woman cobbled together and brought to life from portions of the dead.
At present time, Universal is also reportedly eying Angelina Jolie to direct the film, as well as play the eponymous role of Frankenstein’s great love. Word has it that Jolie is holding off on her decision until a script has been delivered, which is why a screenwriter for the project has already been found – even though the movie doesn’t even have a tentative release date yet.
There’s a reasonable chance Jolie will be satisfied with whatever Koepp cooks up, but at these early stages it’s far too difficult to simply assume based on Koepp’s past achievements that the end results will satisfy everyone. Jolie’s most recent directorial effort, the Euro-arthouse homage By the Sea, was lower-budgeted (as well as a critical/commercial dud), but she’s also helmed the medium-budgeted Unbroken in the past – and thus, might be game to make the jump to bigger-budgeted studio fare (a la Bride of Frankenstein) at this point in her career.
The caliber of writing and director talent that Universal is lining up for Bride of Frankenstein may buoy the confidence of anyone who thinks this project is a bad idea. Universal’s monster movies were among the first in the history of cinematic horror and as such, it’s fitting a certain level of care and attention is going to be doled out on these films. With good talent working together, there would be fair reason to believe that classic horror films from the early 20th century can rise once more.
NEXT: The Mummy Reboot Casting Update
The Mummy opens in U.S. theaters on March 24th, 2017, followed by a currently-untitled Monster Movie (rumored to be The Wolfman) on March 20th, 2018. We’ll let you know when Bride of Frankenstein gets an official release date.
