Child’s Play: Chucky remake gets cast, official press release

With the iconic Child’s Play franchise getting remade, the next era of Chucky is getting it’s official press release.

Greetings, ghoulies!

Whether you love it or hate it, The Child’s Play remake is coming and has officially started production today. MGM has handed out an official press release to the media to announce the  controversial project.

The last bit of rumor mill news we heard was that Liv Tyler was offered the role of Andy’s mom. That role has since been given to Aurbrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) with Gabriel Bateman (Lights Out) as Andy, and Brian Henry (Atlanta, Widows) as Detective Mike. The film is described as a “contemporary version of the iconic horror classic.”

Official press release below:

"WANNA PLAY? METRO GOLDWYN MAYER PICTURES AND ORION PICTURES BEGIN PRODUCTION ON CHILD’S PLAY IN VANCOUVER Starring Aubrey Plaza, Brian Tyree Henry and Gabriel BatemanSeptember 20, 2018 – Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures (MGM) will produce a contemporary version of the iconic horror classic Child’s Play for Orion Pictures; it was announced today by Jonathan Glickman, MGM’s President, Motion Picture Group and John Hegeman, President, Orion Pictures. Starring Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West, Legion, Parks and Recreation) as Karen, Emmy and Tony nominee Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta, Widows, If Beale Street Could Talk) as Mike and Gabriel Bateman (Lights Out, American Gothic) as Andy, principal photography commenced in Vancouver. Rising filmmaker Lars Klevberg (Polaroid) will direct from Tyler Burton Smith’s (Kung Fury, Quantum Break video game) screenplay based on the original motion picture.Child’s Play follows a mother (Plaza) who gives her son (Bateman) a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature.David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith will produce under their KatzSmith Productions banner. The duo produced last year’s smash hit remake of It, the highest grossing horror film of all time bringing in $700 million at the global box office. Aaron Schmidt and Chris Ferguson will executive produce.Collaborating with Klevberg is a creative team led by Director of Photography Brendan Uegama (CW’s Riverdale, Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), production designer Dan Hermansen (Star Trek: Beyond, Godzilla), editor Tom Elkins (Annabelle, Inferno), costume designer Jori Woodman (The Boy, Final Destination 5), and special effects supervisor Dan Keeler (Fox’s The X Files, Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle).Child’s Play, the 1988 film, went on to gross $44 million worldwide on a $9 million budget and spawned one of the most recognizable and successful horror characters of all time with its psychotic killer doll, Chucky."

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Remakes. Reboots. Rebootquels. They’re all apart of our entertainment culture now. What started it? The incredibly successful Dawn of the Dead (2004) was one of the rare instances where a film lived up to the original? Perhaps.

But perhaps not, considering the original was made twenty six years prior to the remake. Now we have remakes/reboots being made within less than ten years of the originals to rake in that franchise dough. Although the film we’re talking about today falls into the twenty year mark, we still have a right to be upset. Especially Don Mancini and Brad Dourif, considering they’ve been making direct-to-DVD sequels of the originals and currently working on a new television series.

Did you notice that it wasn’t confirmed nor denied that the doll will be a self-aware A.I. toy? “A contemporary version” more or less confirms that rumor for me. Personally, I don’t understand why voodoo nor the supernatural can’t co-exist even with today’s advancing technology.

But, maybe that’s just crazy talk. This idea could have changed during pre-production with the amount of backlash it has has gotten, but we won’t know for sure for maybe another month or two. In the meantime, we will be keeping everyone updated on the information with this remake as they roll in.

Fan of the Child’s Play franchise? Looking forward to the upcoming reboot? Let the other demented dolls know what you think in the comment section below.