Movies
Michael Dougherty Will Be Co-Writing ‘Godzilla 2’!
Okay, this is the kind of news that makes me excited to be a horror fan.
Variety is reporting that Trick ‘r Treat director Michael Dougherty will be co-writing the script for Legendary’s Godzilla 2 alongside Zach Shields, Dougherty’s co-writer on Krampus. The two are said to be writing the script, which will then enter a writer’s room whose purpose is to create the Godzilla/King Kong universe where the two will meet and face off in 2020.
Dougherty’s relationship with Legendary began with 2007’s anthology horror film Trick ‘r Treat (which didn’t see a release until 2009), a film that garnered critical acclaim and has since become a Halloween staple. Krampus, which came out in late 2015, also did very well for the company, earning over $61 million against a $15 million budget.
I love the films of Michael Dougherty and having spoken to him a few times, I know how passionate he gets when working on something. If he’s a big Godzilla fan, then I honestly don’t know how this could be bad. At the very least, it’ll be incredibly entertaining!
The 2014 Godzilla was directed by Gareth Edwards and received mediocre reviews. Many praised the visuals while others lamented the lack of the titular character. Personally, I found it to be okay. It certainly wasn’t great and I wanted a lot more out of it but I will also admit that the Godzilla design, especially his roar (listen to it below), was nothing short of awe-inducing.
With Godzilla eventually merging into the King Kong world, Legendary is also building that storyline up with the upcoming adventure thriller Kong: Skull Island, which will be coming out March 10th, 2017.
Andrzej Żuławski’s 1981 psychological horror movie Possession is getting a remake from Smile writer/director Parker Finn, and Deadline reports that The Batman actor Paul Dano has joined the cast.
No word at this time on character details, though.
The original film starred Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill as a married couple in Cold War-era West Berlin whose relationship spirals into a supernatural nightmare. In Finn’s update, Margaret Qualley and Callum Turner will star as the turbulent couple in Finn’s Possession, and Adjani has officially given her blessing on Qualley’s casting.
Parker Finn is writing and directing the new take on Possession.
He’s also producing alongside Jonathan Fass via Bad Feeling, along with Roy Lee and Andrew Childs via Vertigo, and Robert Pattinson. Marc Bienstock is serving as exec producer.
Our own Brian Keiper celebrated Possession‘s 40th anniversary here on BD back in 2021, writing: “Few movies depict emotional turmoil as effectively and daringly as Andrzej Zulawksi’s Possession. It is a challenging and sometimes inscrutable film, both for the mind and the emotions. Zulawski struggles through a number of deep issues throughout the course of the film; issues that speak to some of humanity’s deepest pains and fears. In many ways it is about loss— loss of political ideals, loss of faith, and loss of innocence. But most of all, Possession is about the fear, pain, and anger that comes from the loss of a marriage.”
This will mark Dano’s first horror role. The actor previously appeared in sci-fi hits Looper and Okja.
Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill in Possession
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