Jonathan Entwistle is set to direct a forthcoming remake of The Lost Boys, and here’s what his role in the project says about its probable tone. The original, comedy-infused horror flick from 1987 – which was directed by Joel Schumacher – followed Michael Emerson, a teenager whose family recently relocated to a California beach town called Santa Carla. Ingratiating one’s self into a new group of peers is always daunting, but Michael is faced with the extra hurdle of unknowingly joining a pack of local vampires – who are led by Kiefer Sutherland’s malicious antagonist, David.
The movie became an ’80s cult classic, and it’s understandable as to why. The ultra-cool, R-rated project didn’t pull any punches or pander to kids. And it had a New Wave-meets-goth soundtrack that complimented the film’s subject matter and overall tone (a prime example is Echo & the Bunnymen’s cover of the classic Doors hit “People Are Strange”). The vampire film concept has been rehashed countless times over the years, but The Lost Boys was an innovative horror movie that leaned into a very edgy and cool vibe that perfectly fit the decade it was released in.
Now, a remake featuring big names like Noah Jupe and Jaeden Martell is reportedly in the works, and British director Jonathan Entwistle is set to lead the project. Entwistle’s role certainly hints at the upcoming reboot utilizing some of the original’s darkly edgy tone. He’s also a great fit because some of his past work has showcased a fresh, raw, sarcastic, and unapologetically irreverent and witty form of storytelling. His two shows, The End of the F***ing World and I Am Not Okay With This, have both chronicled the trials and tribulations affixed with coming of age while imbuing their wild and adventurous depictions with those exact traits. The Lost Boys remake will most likely feature some of the same existential, surrealist vibes of the aforementioned series as it revamps the tale of Michael Emerson’s run-ins with Santa Carla’s blood-sucking, undead population.
This is a good thing for fans of both the ’87 cult classic and Entwistle’s other projects; the shows’ themes can lend themselves well to retelling the film’s story. The Lost Boys was a dark, spooky flick with hints of semi-self-aware humor – like Michael’s grandfather’s nonchalant acknowledgment of the local area’s vampire problem, right after a climactic showdown, at the movie’s end. Entwistle has also shown directorial prowess with similar types of humor, often sprinkled within, or shortly after, similarly harrowing circumstances in his shows.
The main characters of Sydney (I Am Not Okay With This) and Alyssa and James (The End of the F***ing World) all have hilarious, black comedy-infused personalities and reactions, even when grappling with weighty issues like parental loss, enduring mistreatment from adults, or being on the run from the law. With everything that’s known about the newest Lost Boys iteration’s director, he seems like the perfect creative captain. Not to mention, judging from I’m Not Okay With This‘ impressive soundtrack – with everything from The Kinks to The Pixies, and more – Entwistle’s remake can carry on the first film’s thoughtfully and tastefully picked musical torch as it enhances the beloved storyline.
