‘Attack Of The Fifty Foot Woman’: Tim Burton To Remake Classic B-Movie At Warner Bros. With ‘Gone Girl’ Writer Gillian Flynn

A trailer for Tim Burton‘s “Beetlejuice” sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is on the horizon and there is already news about the filmmaker’s reunion with Warner Bros. on another horror hybrid project. Deadline has learned that Burton has found his next big project and will remake the 1958 film “Attack of The Fifty Foot Woman” for the studio with the help of novelist/screenwriter Gillian Flynn (“Gone Girl”). As the title alludes to, a woman is exposed to alien technology that leads to her growing to an astonishing fifty feet and wreaking havoc on a city. Burton has an established obsession with these kinds of schlock movies and previously worked with the studio on the 1996 sci-fi comedy “Mars Attacks!” which was based on the gore-fest trading cards from Topps harkening back to 1950s b-movies.

There was previous a HBO remake of the project in 1993 to less fanfare with comedian Christopher Guest (“Best In Show”) directing and “Kill Bill” actress Daryl Hannah starring/producing. The giant-woman trope in genre films has slowed down in recent memory but the b-movie-themed animated film, “Monsters vs. Aliens,” attempted to use the “Fifty Foot Woman” angle as the protagonist voiced by Reese Witherspoon was another giantess creation via aliens.

Jenna Ortega | Wednesday | Jenna ortega, Wednesday addams, Wensday

What will be next is finding an actress to play this new version of Nancy Archer. I don’t think it would be hard to imagine if modern a Scream Queen like Jenna Ortega is considered for the main role in the remake given her recent working relationship with Burton on the “Addams Family” revival series “Wednesday” and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”

This isn’t the only classic monster movie getting a modern incarnation at Warners as a third version of The Blob is coming from David Bruckner (“Hellraiser”) after previous versions from Rob Zombie and Simon West had trouble coming together. Composer turned director Michael Giacchino (“Werewolf By Night”) is also attached to remake the 1954 film “Them!” about giant monster ants. It’s starting to feel like the new studio heads, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, are understanding that the studio has some legacy horror projects that could be resurrected in a similar way to what Universal is doing with their Universal Monsters lineup.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Tim Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice 2’ Cast Adds Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci & Catharine O’Hara

Tim Burton‘s “Beetlejuice” came out a year before he revitalized the superhero genre with “Batman.” After a nearly three decade attempt to make a sequel, it is finally coming to fruition with “Beetlejuice 2.” Warner Bros. is about to being shooting the sequel soon in London and it comes after star Michael Keaton had recreantly returned to the Bruce Wayne/Batman role for “The Flash” film. Burton, who back in the director’s chair, is slowly assembling quite the interesting cast and the newest acquisition is no different.

Backing up previous rumblings online, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that actor Willem Dafoe (“Poor Things”) has indeed joined the cast alongside fellow new additions such as Jenna Ortega (“Scream 6”), Justin Theroux (“Leftovers”), and Monica Bellucci (“Spectre”). Returning cast members include Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catharine O’Hara is now confirmed to be reprising the role of Lydia’s mother from the original pic.

In the first movie, Beetlejuice was more of an adversary than his cartoon counterpart and with Bellucci said to be playing the ghost’s wife in the sequel it could quell some of the more icky aspects of the 1988 installment. Mainly, Beetlejuice trying to marry a minor and could see the sequel lean more into the mythology established in that aforementioned cartoon series that explored the Netherworld (Land of The Dead) in more depth.

A script for the sequel was penned by Al Gough and Miles Millar, who had recently worked with Burton on his popular Netflix series “Wednesday” that starred Ortega as the titular character in the “Addams Family” revival.

The studio recently gave “Beetlejuice 2” a prime release date of September 6, 2024.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Tim Burton Reportedly Interested In Directing A Live-Action Series Reboot of ‘The Addams Family’ For MGM TV – Could Land At Netflix

Deadline reports that a new live-action Addams Family series is currently in the works from Tim Burton and MGM TV, with Burton negotiating to both produce and potentially direct all the episodes.

In what would mark his first major live-action TV series, Tim Burton is setting his sights on The Addams Family, looking to develop a new series focused on the famous clan. Sources tell Deadline that Burton is negotiating to executive produce and possibly direct all episodes of this new take on the franchise.

They also claim that Netflix is one of the suitors interested in the series reboot.

Originally, a cartoon featured in The New Yorker by cartoonist Charles Addams, the Addams Family spawned a live-action series in the 1960s and eventually got two feature films in the 1990s from director Barry Sonnenfeld. It also got a short-lived series reboot in the late 90s before a recent animated film that included the voices of Oscar Isaac and Charlize Theron.

The Addams Family are a close-knit extended family with decidedly macabre interests and supernatural abilities, though no explanation for their powers is explicitly given in the series. The wealthy, endlessly enthusiastic Gomez Addams is madly in love with his refined wife, Morticia.

The Addams Family is equally known for the addictive theme song.

I think it’s been obvious throughout Tim’s film career that he has been lifting imagery and aesthetics from The Addams Family and making this project could end up being his ultimate homage.

This wouldn’t be the first time Mr. Burton has attempted to reimagine a television property as his 2012 film Dark Shadows was comedic take on the horror soap opera that aired between 1966 and 1971 on ABC. However, I’m desperately hoping that this new Addams Family series is slightly better in the quality and acting department.

SOURCE: DEADLINE