Iconic filmmaker John Carpenter is just as keen to get back into directing as his fans are to see another movie from him. The director recently chatted with Variety ahead of his upcoming Walk of Fame star ceremony (taking place April 3) and said he'd "love to direct again, given the right circumstances."
Carpenter has directed several classic horror movies, most notably with the 1978 slasher Halloween, but his remake of The Thing has become even more beloved than the original. Some of his other famous films include Vampires, The Fog, They Live, and Escape from New York. He last directed the supernatural thriller The Ward in 2010.
Over 15 years later, and we're still waiting to see what movie he picks to helm next. According to his recent comments to Variety, the main thing holding him back is that he doesn't want to be backed "into a budget anymore," noting that "it's too hard."
He doesn't go into specifics, but I'm assuming he means not wanting to worry about being constrained by a budget when it comes to executing his directorial visions.
"But directing is the love of my life. I’ll never stop loving that," Carpenter says.
John Carpenter wants to direct Bong Joon Ho's horror movie
It's not just directing that Carpenter is known for, he's also beloved for his music. He notably composed the scores for several of his films, including Halloween, They Live, and The Fog. And during a recent event with fellow director Bong Joon Ho, the two seemed to come to agreement for Carpenter to score one of Bong's upcoming films.
Chatting together at the 4K restoration of The Thing held at the Academy Museum, the pair got to talking about Bong's planned horror movie project, something he's been working on since 2001.
Fangoria Magazine reports that Carpenter told Bong he wants to score the film and the duo cemented the deal with a handshake, saying it was "officially" happening.
There aren't many additional details about Bong's horror project, though you shouldn't expect it any time soon since it's supposedly his "next, next" movie. But he has called it a "life project" that he's been thinking about for more than two decades now.
Bong's most recent work is the excellent sci-fi film Mickey 17 starring Robert Pattinson, Toni Collette, Naomi Ackie, and Mark Ruffalo—which is now playing in theaters.
As for Carpenter, he previously announced his first live series of live performances in seven years for a Los Angeles Halloween residency hosted by The Belasco. Brooklyn Vegan reports that the event will kick off on October 24, with subsequent performances on October 25, 31, and November 1. Tickets are on sale now.