It was announced back in January that Goldcrest Films is to co-produce the long-gestured update of 1958 horror/sci-fi classic The Blob, which once had Rob Zombie attached to direct.
Simon West, director of Wild Card, The Mechanic and Expendables 2, is getting behind the camera this coming fall for a new spin on the 1958 horror classic that was already remade in 1988.
West spoke to Screen Relish about his The Blob, where he teased the monstrosity as a more living, breathing, thinking alien entity.
“’The Blob’ will be happening right after [‘Stratton’]. In August or October and that takes a little more planning because we’ve got to design the creature. It’s going to be much more sci-fi than the original. It’s a bigger scale type of movie.
It’s more ‘Alien’ meets ‘Predator’ and designing the creature is a long and involved process cause its very sophisticated. It’s not going to be the goo pouring through windows. So, that’s taking a while to design and construct that.”
From what he says, it sound to me as if they’re going to be creating a shape-shifter/chameleon alien creature that feeds off humans. It’s a brash new interpretation, but it does put some of my concerns aside about splashing a giant mass of goo on screen for modern audiences.
As previously explained by Deadline, the original film, which was released by Paramount, starred a young Steve McQueen. The story sees a gelatinous alien life-form emerge from a crashed meteor and begin to ooze through Downtingon, Pennsylvania, eating the townsfolk as it goes.
A 1972 sequel, Beware! The Blob, was helmed by Larry Hagman, and in 1988, Chuck Russell directed Kevin Dillon in a remake of the original.
“With modern CGI we can now fully realize the potential of The Blob,” West said in January. “The world I create will be totally believable, immersive and emotionally satisfying. It’s a thrill to introduce an enduring icon to a wider audience and a whole new era of fans.”
I still have my doubts that they can pull this off for modern audiences.
