Caffeinated Clint
Roy Lee, the founding father of the ‘let’s remake all these great Asian horror flicks for American audiences’ idea, tells Collider that in addition to new “Grudge” (God I hate those flicks, duller than a mother’s day brunch with the scrabble club) and “Ring” sequels, he’s also now in talks to join the producing team on the oh-so-frightening “Poltergeist” remake.
Most of y’all know I had a little something to do with the “Poltergeist” property about five or six years ago when MGM was looking to sequelize the original trilogy (with original star and living legend Craig T.Nelson). You’ll also remember how queasy I felt when the studio opted not to push forward with a sequel – that served as somewhat of a sequel to that original Tobe Hooper classic – and instead decided to just remake it. Less effort, more opportunities, as they see it.
But here’s a piccie of me and the late, great Zelda Rubenstein (‘Tangina’ in the “Poltergeist” films) from back in the “Kayeri” days.
Well, it’s been a couple of years since the news archive on the “Poltergeist” redo has been “cleaned”. Good time now. Roy Lee is going to be producing the film.
The producer of “The Grudge” and “The Ring” tells Collider :
I’d say the one I’m most excited about updating is the Poltergeist reboot. That is probably something…hopefully next year that somebody will be able to accomplish.
I dunno… I just dunno. I don’t see how a “Poltergeist” remake could even come close to the anachronistic awesomeness of Hooper and Spielberg’s 1982 classic. And how on earth do you replace Heather O’Rourke!? That girl was amazing!
Here’s a better idea, MGM : Re-issue the original “Poltergeist” back in cinemas. Nice digitally restored 35MM print.
Meanwhile, Lee – who is also producing the remake of “Oldboy”, which he says will have “new elements to it that will throw off the audience who have seen the original movie because there are new characters and new situations that present themselves in a way that changes the story but eventually go in the same direction” – is looking at continuing “The Grudge” and “The Ring” series.
Says the J-producer :
We are looking to do a new version of The Grudge but we haven’t decided on exactly what it will be. We’ve just put it out to the film community that we are hearing takes from writers on what they could bring to the table on what their thoughts are on a new version of The Grudge.
[The Ring 3 is] the same thing with The Grudge where we’re hearing takes and actually having a script written just to see if it works in terms of trying to restart a Ring franchise.
..we hear different pitches from people who have their ideas and once somebody hears an idea that we really like, we potentially execute that
Whatcha think, gang? Keen for a “Poltergeist” remake? What about new “Ring” and “Grudge” flicks?
