Little Shop of Horrorslooks to be getting a remake after all, with B-movie legendRoger Cormanreturning to his creation along withGremlinsdirectorJoe Dante. This will be a reimagining of the story of an alien plant that attempts to take over the world, and followsthe abandoned Chris Evans-starring remakethat was in development but cancelled after pandemic delays.
The Little Shop of Horrors
Corman released the original version ofLittle Shop of Horrorsin 1960 amonghis many low-budget offerings, and although the movie became mostly famous as the first, fleeting, movie appearance of Jack Nicholson, it also became one of Corman’s many cult classics. Corman’s movie was then developed into a musical stage show, which in turn becamethe 1986 Rick Moranis musical moviedirected by Frank Oz and featuring the best-known version of the killer plant affectionately known as Audrey II.
While Chris Evans seemed to be hyped to star in the remake prior to the Covid pandemic, that version now seems to be out of the picture, but nothing can keep a good remake down. Now Corman will produceLittle Shop of Halloween Horrors, with Dante directing, andGremlins 2writer Charles S. Haas penning the script. According to Deadline, the film is hoped to be the first in a new franchise of movies, but we all know how those plans can very quickly go south.
Joe Dante Returns to His Roots with Little Shop of Halloween Horror
Dante made his first steps in the movie industry alongside Corman, working on low-budget movies such asPiranha. Of course,Dante really hit his stride in the mid-1980swith the release ofGremlins, the Steven Spielberg-produced Christmas-set story of a small town besieged by murderous little creatures.
Despite that success, and other movies such asThe Howling, InnerspaceandSmall Soldiersbeing well-received, Dante only made five movies through the ‘90s and 2000s, with his last directorial effort being 2014’sBurying the Ex. However, with legacy sequels being the name of the game in Hollywood right now, there have been many discussions about the possibility of Dante returning to theGremlinsfranchise for a long-awaited third movie. While this has not managed to come to fruition yet, his involvement inLittle Shop of Halloween Horrorscould be the project that helps to push that movie into being.
Why a Little Shop of Horrors Remake Should be Abandoned for a Space Sequel
While the studio may not realize it yet, a space fairing Little Shop of Horrors sequel could reinvigorate the brand for modern audiences.
For now though, fans of Corman and Dante can prepare themselves for a complete reworking of theLittle Shop of Horrorspremise. There are currently no other details available about the movie, but expect more news in the near future.
Roger Corman’s originalThe Little Shop of Horrorsis available to stream across many free channels.
